magisternihil's 100-word story for January 1, 2026

magisternihil wrote the following micro-story on Hectalex on January 1, 2026. Each story on Hectalex is inspired by a daily visual prompt and must be exactly 100 words.

A sound reached Derek’s ear, a tapping on his consciousness, pulling him from his torpid state. It was unfamiliar at first, foreign in this environment of wind and feral beasts, but then realization raced forward and slapped him across the face. “A car alarm?” The words sounded like shoes scuffing loose gravel, but he heard them and realized they came from his mouth. He sat up, head groggy, and fought to stand. For an eternity he’s been lost in this gritty wasteland, and now civilization was calling out to him, albeit still in a warning state. Hopeful, he stumbled forward.

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