Thirdly

Can't possibly have written it, as I told you, it was me and my subconscious. The lists aren't out yet, so the real guessing hasn't even started.

Oh shit. You're right. Technically that one was haunting, too. Lemme fix that.

That I can totally answer, @Topher Lydon, for me: 1. Funniest: * Well, This Happened * My Ex is Haunting me Through Grindr * Busted * Can I tell Ya a Secret? * Liminal 2. Most Soul: * (The Sleeper in the Vale though it was pulled) * My Dead Ex is Haunting me Through Grindr * Family Secret * The Reunion * Adrift * Septima's Potential (which ironically featured cyborgs) * Angel Keeps a Secret * Carpe Veritas * A Chorus Dilemma 3. Strongest story: * (The Sleeper in the Vale though it was pulled) * Family Secret * Green Lightning * Exposing My Reality * The Reunion * Angel Keeps a Secret * What it Takes * Adrift * My Dead Ex is Haunting Me Through Grindr * Carpe Veritas 4. Strongest Characters: * What it Takes * The Reunion * (The Sleeper in the Vale though it was pulled) * The Case of the Scallopini-ed Mayor * Thirteen * No Doubt About It * Exposing My Reality * Adrift * The Rainbow's Unicorn * Thetis * Unmasked * Liminal * My Dead Ex is Haunting Me Through Grindr 5. Romantic AF: (this one was a HUGE toss up for me as they were so darn good) * My Dead Ex is Haunting Me Through Grindr * No Doubt About It * Unmasked * Adrift * A Chorus Dilemma * Fledgling * The Rainbow's Unicorn * Septima's Potential * What it Takes? (more obsession than romance, but still) * Carpe Veritas (but Thirdly, why is this considered Romance to you? It's a romantic notion is why) 6. Haunting: * What it Takes * Green Lightning * Four Hours * Fledgling * No Doubt About It * Exposing My Reality * Family Secret * The Case of the Scallopini-ed Mayor * Angel Keeps a Secret (car accident) * Thetis (circumstances?) * Carpe Veritas (you can't handle the truth) * My Dead Ex is Haunting Me Through Grindr (trapped in his own mind!) 7. Most Shock Factor: * What it Takes * Green Lightning * No Doubt About It * My Dead Ex is Haunting Me Through Grindr * Thirteen * Four Hours * Fledgling * Well, This Happened

This is what happens when we're waiting on everyone else to catch up reading. The SA discussion thread veers off topic. Sorry @Cia. 🤣

I do love me some collabs. Don't tempt me.

I'd put everyone on rotation. Each going to work one day, writing one day, drawing one day, playing music one day, and sewing one day. A Jack-of-all-trades dream. It'd have to be after my surgery though, as all 6 having menstrual cycles all at once would leave us all starving. 🤔

Mine would have to be something close to "Borders and Bribery" because I have 2 different story collaboration worlds that I'd be fusing together to make it happen (one with vampires that have Egyptian gods [long story] and another with unicorns that adore humans [a less long story]). I'm asking for permission to do it from my co-writer now.

Also, it's over, everyone! I hereby claim the theme The Unicorn Vampire (though I might actually use a different title for reasons, @chris191070). This story is happening. A unicorn and a vampire are having a mixed baby.

Dagnabbit, Chris! I saw this title and I literally thought Unicorn x Vampire had a baby and that poor thing is a Vampire Unicorn now. Aaaaaah, I can't start a new project with this fusion, I still have things to finish!

*opens mouth to say something and closes it again* ...carry on.

Real life is dystopian enough for me. Give me rainbows and ponies any day.

So, what I'm hearing is we'll have at least one new paranormal story from each of you. Sweet.

I can't afford therapy at the moment. Just like last year, I'm just shamelessly claiming all the stories, as there wasn't a single one I regretted reading.

Ok, so here are my initial thoughts: Busted - Short, anime influence... obviously written by W_L Exposing My Reality - Bill W is my guess here, though Mark Arbour also comes to mind for some reason Thirteen - The Thirdly from another era Unmasked - Headstall, CassieQ even Fledgling - Dark Thirdly A Chorus Dilemma - A sleepwalking Thirdly The Reunion - Thirdly from the future, or kbois The Case of the Scallopini-ed Mayor - E K Stokes, lawfulneutralmage Four Hours - Thirdly's Dissociation Angel Keeps a Secret - Adoptive Thirdly No Doubt About It- Jack Poignet, Mikiesboy, Thirdly on caffeine Can I Tell Ya a Secret? - Obviously, the Thirdly from another dimension Adrift - Sailor Thirdly Well, This Happened - Blogger Thirdly The Rainbow’s Unicorn - British thirdly Liminal - European Thirdly My Dead Ex is Haunting Me Through Grindr - Thirdly's subconscious Septima’s Potential - Thirdly's dreams Family Secret - Thirdly wishes she wrote this Thetis- Thirdly on vacation watching telenovelas Green Lightning- Astone2292, Thirdly after watching one too many Black Mirror episodes What it Takes- Thirdly's Evil subconscious Carpe Veritas- Jeff Burton, Inkognito

Idid it! I read them all. Well done, everyone! So many startling truths and revelations. I'm gonna need a minute.

What it Takes, indeed! I'm still reeling.

when he broke up with his girlfriend of the week - how many girlfriends has this guy had? He resembled Oliver quite a bit, which made me want to like him. - Is this a good thing or a bad thing? It dawned on me, for the first time, that Oliver might have clued in to how I felt for him. Shit. - Double shit! Following him was an older man clad in a tight black V-neck and too much gold jewelry, holding hands with one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen. Tia. - That hussy. Alex walked by, deftly plucking the now-empty Solo cup from my hand and replacing it with another one, giving me a wink. - I've a godbrother that does this kind of thing during family gatherings all the time. Sneaking the liquor around, making sure everyone was having a good time... Alex turned to me. "Can I touch your hair? It looks soft." - Sure it's just his hair you wanna touch, buddy? 👀 "Want to sit in my lap?" he asked, his voice soft in my ear. I grinned at him. "Maybe later." - Is it getting hot in here? I pushed Ricky aside and called her name, trying to get her to respond. Nothing. - I mean, as a Vet-in-training, you're the closest thing to a doc there. Also, the empty syringe that I had slipped into Ricky’s coat pocket had already drawn suspicion away from Oliver to the more likely suspect—the current boyfriend. - The syringe you WHAT!!??? 😱 But the truth was, I never intended to kill Tia at Alex's party. - Are you sure about that!? I went into her room and smothered her elderly cat, which should have been put down six weeks prior. When my sister returned home and found him, it made her cry too. - 😨! Sir, you have crossed the line. And that's the truth. - SIR!

Nope. I've got nothing. Burned up my last brain cells catching up with all entries, and this last one's got me stumped. All I can guess is one of the writers in the Notrth/South American side of the planet. I can be tall. I can be thin. I can be good-looking. I can be rich. -

Green Lightning? More like "Escape Room From Hell." I yell at fictional characters all the time, but I don't think I've yelled at any SA entry characters as much as I have at the ones in THIS one.

“What do you expect? It’s probably been ages since he washed it.” - I dunno, rot and death are very distinct smells that are unmistakable. I found an article reporting that two people have gone missing from here. - Yeah, see? Fishy fishy fishy. Get out of there. She said, ‘When in doubt, switch off the lights. - I wouldn't be switching any lights off! NO lights off. I get a decided sense of Narnia, here. - That's funny, cause I get a decided sense of GET THE HECK OUTTA THERE. These are brand new. Do you think I want them ruined by sand?- PFFT! It's your life or your shoes. Pick now. This place gives me the creeps. Let’s return. - THIS. This feels like shed snake skin. - Someone get bitten? The people who disappeared? Why are there so many flies? - That's not a good sign. I think it’s blood. - And you're not hauling ass immediately? Look at the head. Part of the hair is missing. Oh God. Do you think they took it and put it on the skeleton’s head? - Y'all are gonna be the prop skeletons in the next room if you don't get the heck outta there. Jovan shoved the door open, pulled Arden with him, and slammed it closed again. A loud wailing sounded. - Did you just survive by the skin of your teeth??? Nothing good! Out! - Freaking finally! And tell them what? We found a dead body on a holodeck of an escape room business? - Of course not! You found a dead body in a hidden AREA of an escape room. Jovan on his bare feet and Arden wearing only one shoe. - I love this detail. Do you think that body was real? And it belonged to one of them? - WHY are you still questioning this?? How about we give them the address of the house and send their phones to the police anonymously? Maybe they can find something. - Or you could have, you know, dialed 911 on one of those dead phones with gloves on and left the phones ringing near the escape room. Extraterrestrial beings — like aliens? We’re not alone, and I’m holding the evidence in my hand? - Or demons. Too soon to tell.

This... this was a joy to read for me. I ate every bit of it up.

Oh, good God, this is going to drive me nuts. I've read this person's writing style before, but I can't pin down the who. It's just such delicious drama, like a Latin American soap opera (drama is serious business in telenovelas, I assure you). My guesses are so off 99% of the time (except that one percent I guessed by luck). But I might actually have to do some digging now, too.

Ok, hear me out... I love all kinds of comedy, even the dark kind. There is only one thing I wanted: more. Was more necessary? Not really. This felt complete to me. It's just that I love the writing style that much.

This is another one that's absolutely worth reading.

I think I was about eight years old when I first encountered him. The flu had hit me hard, and I woke out of a deep sleep to see the man standing in my room, looking at me with a half-smile on his face. He appeared hazy and looked almost angelic to me. I felt a profound sense of peace, and I wasn’t afraid. I blinked, trying to clear my eyes, and he was gone. The whole encounter lasted all of one second. - You seeing ghosts, buddy? I couldn’t explain it, but something or someone had been looking out for me. It wasn’t until many years later that I connected this experience with the blond man with the blue eyes. While I hadn’t seen him, I firmly believed it was his voice warning me of the danger I would have faced had I taken the job. - Dude! Anger consumed me at their carelessness, then wonder at the fact that I hadn’t followed the car ahead of me. I looked to the sky and said, “Thank you, Uncle Phineas.” - Dude!!! “It was an accident, of course. The boys were target shooting and little Phineas idolized his older brothers, so he was hanging around them. They didn’t notice when he wandered close to the targets, and Harold fired.” - Oh, shit! My mom stirred in the chair on the opposite side of the bed. I stood and moved to Harold’s bed, taking his hand. His breath was ragged and shallow, but his eyes were open and bright. I turned to look where his gaze was focused. Phineas stood at the end of the bed, smiling. - *motioning frantically towards the ghost* He's. Right. There! “It was an accident. There’s nothing to forgive,” I said. “He loves you.” Uncle Harold visibly relaxed, closed his eyes, and took his last breath. When I looked toward Phineas, he was gone. - 😭😭😭