magisternihil's 100-word story for October 21, 2025

magisternihil wrote the following micro-story on Hectalex on October 21, 2025. Each story on Hectalex is inspired by a daily visual prompt and must be exactly 100 words.

The captured humans grew restless after a few months, and it became clear to Overseer Garflok that something needed to be done immediately. “Perhaps more of the laughing gas could be pumped in?” suggested Warden Tlurk. “They seemed to respond well last time.” The Oveseer pondered this suggestion while Tlurk received his 500 lashings for insubordination. The Warden did have a point, but it wasn’t the gas that made them happy, it was the sound of laughter from the neighboring cells. Garflok had a brains storm and landed on a solution. Humans were social creatures, he realized. They needed… “Balconies!”

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