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    Brayon
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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 

My Shorts 2019 - 3. MS19 - The Ring

Based on Prompt #748

It has been a long forty-years. I worked for Abrams, Santina, & Shiller since I was fresh out of high school at eighteen-years-old, and today on my fifty-eight birthday was my last day. When I was hired my first position was in the mailroom, and I’m finishing my career as a vice-president of human relations. I owe a lot to A.S.S., and I’m thankful for the opportunities they have given me.

We had just finished up with one of those feel good ‘farewell’ parties, complete with store-bought cake and ice cream, and I was now in my office getting ready to leave for the last time. My belongings were already gone, I spent a week taking things home, and all that was left was the few things my coworkers gave me today. So, imagine my surprise when the knock came, and this big brute of a man just strolls in.

“All yours, bud.” He drops an envelope, one of the small tan-yellow padded ones, onto my desk, and walks out before I can say anything.

Shaking my head, I picked up the envelope, blowing out a frustrated breath. It was light, addressed to me, but with no return address nor postage. Curious what was in it, I opened the flap. Inside was a silver-colored ring, but didn’t have the weight or feel of silver, and a note.

Sam,
Place the titanium ring, on your left ring-finger, and prepare yourself for a major change.
A Friend

‘What the hell…’ I thought. Thinking it was one last retirement prank, I slipped the ring onto my finger. I could not have been more wrong if I had tried.

~.~

I woke up and looked around… it was not my office I was in. The room was small, plain, and a solid white color. Two chairs were in the center of the room, and one of them was already occupied.

“Ric? Where am I? How did I get here? How did you get here? You’re dead!” Trembling I felt for my pulse, which I didn’t need to as it felt like my heart was about to beat out of my chest.

Ric laughed at me. “You’re not dead, and neither am I. Have a seat.” He pointed at the chair across from me. “We need to have a talk.”

With my mind running a million miles an hour, I got up and sat down on the chair. “Um Ric… why are we naked, and you look thirty-years younger?”

He smiled. “That’s what we have to talk about. From the beginning… I recommended you for a special job, the same that had happened to me. If you accept the position, you’ll become immortal, your age will turn back to when you were twenty-one, and you’ll be set up with a cover identity to do your job.”

“And what is the job?”

“It would be as a guardian. They assign you either a person, family, or place and you make sure they remain safe. Either by your influence, or you call people in. Your charges will often change up. In this position, your charges don’t know they are being cared for.” He paused a moment. “However, there might be another one you would be good for. We call them fixers.”

“And that is?”

“They are guardians, but they have more hands on task. You’re assigned one person, who you take care of, in whatever why you deem appropriate.”

“Why do you think I’ll be good for that?”

“Your heart. You’re always looking to help others. I’ve seen you take your jacket off and give it to someone on the street. Also, you’re gay, like me. There’s just a few of us guardians who are gay, and we’re getting more and more cases to watch over gay people.”

More than a little stunned, I sat and thought about the offer. “If, I’m hands on, wouldn’t me not aging be a red flag?”

“No, that would be taken care of with a rebirth process. You are ‘born’ as a new person, age dependent on the person you’re assigned to, and then live until the assignment is over. Either with your assignee no longer needing guardianship or passes away. You would then be rebirth for your next assignment.”

“And what if part of that taking care of, involves a physical relationship?”

“Whatever it takes, you may do. Including termination of individuals.”

It was a lot to take in. I sat and thought about my options. “How do I accept?”

“If you want the job, just leave the ring on, and go through the door over there. You’ll get your first assignment, and knowledge of what a guardian can do. If you decline. Take the ring off, and walk through the door, and you’ll wake up in your office as if, nothing had ever happened.”

“Is it worth it?”

“Yes, it is. Even with the one time I had to leave the guy I fell in love with.”

“You and I were in love when I thought you died… you were my guardian?”

“Yes, I was.” He looked a little sad. “It was the hardest day for me in centuries, but I had to leave you once you were in a place where you could take care of yourself. They assigned me someone else to help.”

“All right, I’ll do it.”

We stood up and walked to the door that appeared out of nowhere and stepped through.

Ran it through ProWritingAid about a hundred times, so any mistakes are mine for not having my editing team look at it.
No plans on doing anymore with this. Felt compelled to post it.

Prompt #748 — Creative: As you finished your final task at work, your retirement lay moments away. A knock at the office door found you staring at a strange man who stomped over and dropped an envelope on your desk. “All yours, bud,” he grumbled and left. Inside the envelope was a ring and instructions telling you to wear it and prepare for a major change. What do you do?

Copyright © 2019 BHopper2; All Rights Reserved.
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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 
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Chapter Comments

Very creative.  This could be the starting point for a truly unending story.  Adapted for TV, it could become the serial to end all serials. :) 

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2 minutes ago, Backwoods Boy said:

Very creative.  This could be the starting point for a truly unending story.  Adapted for TV, it could become the serial to end all serials. :) 

Thanks, BB. Only if it would go for 15 seasons, could I see it as a TV show. LOL

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Interesting story, it seems to me that I read this one before. I could be wrong about it but I really don’t think I am. I agree that this would be a good tv show it could very well go for at least 15 seasons.

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1 minute ago, Butcher56 said:

Interesting story, it seems to me that I read this one before. I could be wrong about it but I really don’t think I am. I agree that this would be a good tv show it could very well go for at least 15 seasons.

Thanks, Butcher. Totally new, I worked on this the other day.

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"I owe a lot to A.S.S..." :gikkle: He's not alone...

Seriously though, I agree with the other commentators who think this would make a great setup for a string of short stories or TV episodes. I enjoyed reading it, and appreciate you sharing it with us :)

 

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1 minute ago, AC Benus said:

"I owe a lot to A.S.S..." :gikkle: He's not alone...

Seriously though, I agree with the other commentators who think this would make a great setup for a string of short stories or TV episodes. I enjoyed reading it, and appreciate you sharing it with us :)

 

I was hoping someone would pick up on that. LOL. Thanks, AC. No plans currently, but you never know. It'll have to wait till after the current project.

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3 minutes ago, chris191070 said:

Awesome story. I agree there’s scope for more.

Thanks, Chris. I appreciate the comment. You guys are talking me into maybe doing something more.

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4 hours ago, BHopper2 said:

Thanks, Chris. I appreciate the comment. You guys are talking me into maybe doing something more.

That's the thing about a string of shorts, perfect for when you need a change from a big story or are between projects.

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1 hour ago, Kitt said:

That's the thing about a string of shorts, perfect for when you need a change from a big story or are between projects.

Very true, Kitt. Thank you for reading, and for the feedback. Small shorts sounds good.

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2 hours ago, BHopper2 said:

 Small shorts sound good.

:gikkle: 0:) :gikkle: (yes, I have a one-track mind...hehe)

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29 minutes ago, AC Benus said:

:gikkle: 0:) :gikkle: (yes, I have a one-track mind...hehe)

A.S.S. and small shorts. Yeah, I like them too. :blushing::wub:

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All sartorial notions set aside, this is a very nice story. I agree with @AC Benus that this could be a splendid way to introduce some brief stories.

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2 minutes ago, Parker Owens said:

All sartorial notions set aside, this is a very nice story. I agree with @AC Benus that this could be a splendid way to introduce some brief stories.

Thanks, Parker. I'm glad you liked it. That's a common theme I'm seeing. I'm seriously considering it, once I'm done with my current project.

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@BHopper2 Welcome to the "it's only a short story and it's done, but everyone wants more" club. I feel responsible because it was one of my prompts. However, and I blame someone I've worked with often for this, cough @Valkyrie cough, and say expand it and write quickly because we want more. Lol. Did I say nice job? Great story. Can we have some more, sir?

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7 minutes ago, comicfan said:

@BHopper2 Welcome to the "it's only a short story and it's done, but everyone wants more" club. I feel responsible because it was one of my prompts. However, and I blame someone I've worked with often for this, cough @Valkyrie cough, and say expand it and write quickly because we want more. Lol. Did I say nice job? Great story. Can we have some more, sir?

LOL, thanks, comicfan. What can I say, you come up with some great prompts. I got a list of numbers I want to try to tackle. Yeah, I've pretty much decided I'm going to make this a series. Repost this as a prologue, with the official first installment. BUT that will happen after I finish my current project.

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Just now, Defiance19 said:

I really liked this, A.  Great stuff! 

Thanks, Agent D. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

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