joeislove's 100-word story for January 2, 2026

joeislove wrote the following micro-story on Hectalex on January 2, 2026. Each story on Hectalex is inspired by a daily visual prompt and must be exactly 100 words.

They arrived at the holy site by the dozens. Bowing before the avatars, their hands trembling, laying their offerings out before them. The avatars, always coldly dispassionate, never moved while the congregants prayed before them. The offerings, crude imitations of the avatars themselves, served as a reminder of the infidelity inherent in any process of copying. The avatars did not speak, but the supplicants felt their judgement. But even as the tiny toy cars were poor imitations, the avatars themselves knew they could never come close to the regal majesty of their god, the original Love Bug. All Hail Herbie!

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