Competition: [Short Fiction] Just A Typical Day

Finished
[Short Fiction] Just A Typical Day

Prompt

We all have a "typical day" at some point, where we just follow a routine. What is your character's daily routine? What is their typical day?

Write a short fiction of a typical day for your character from the moment they wake up until they go to sleep. If they're so random they just don't have one, write about any one day in your character's history.

Rules

  • All entries must be a minimum of 500 words and maximum of 1600
  • No Google Doc links, download as a PDF and submit
  • Acceptable submissions should be in .doc, .pdf, .txt format or submitted using the submission box
  • Grading will be conducted using the Voice Fiction Rubric
Competition Information
Organized by
General Zxyl Bes'uliik
Running time
2023-02-10 until 2023-03-03 (22 days)
Target Unit
Entire DJB
Competition Type
Fiction
Awards
First Level Crescents and Clusters of Ice as per VOICE guidelines
Participants
18 subscribers, of which 5 have participated.
Results
Member
Qyreia Arronen
Submission
Qyreia Arronen opted out of publishing her submission.
Placement
1st place
Member
Proconsul Wulfram Armis
Textual submission

It had been a few years since Alexandyr had returned home, for as much as he could call anyplace home. Clan Arcona had taken him in and given him some semblance of purpose, yet everything still felt empty. When he finally settled in, old routines crept back in, and he found some comfort. As he acclimated to Estle, he found city life to be busy but not stressful.

Staying in the same bed for more than a night was something he missed, and waking with the comfort of aircon even more so, but some things never changed. Whether travelling, stationed abroad, or in the comfort of his own home, one such comfort he took with him everywhere was a hot cup of caf. Quick brew in the mornings while abroad, but at home, he enjoyed a longer steep. He showered afterwards to help him focus and settle on plans for the day ahead. After he'd showered and had his first caf of the morning, he made breakfast and a second cup of caf. This one was sweetened to match the taste of his meal. Whenever Alex travelled, he often had meals comprised of nutritional bars or ready-packaged foodstuffs, but now he cooked his own food. He wasn't an award-winning chef by any standards, but nerf and eggs, with some simple flatcakes, were winners in anyone's record. At least Alexandyr thought as much.

Once he'd eaten, Alex sighed and got up to gaze out over the city, the perfect view as he started his morning callisthenics. Daily work kept his muscles limber and the ache away after long journeys, though he had to admit as his age crept up on him, his travels exhausted him further and further. Form practice with his sabre always followed. An outstretched hand called on The Force to deliver his lightsaber from across the apartment before he began. He checked the few pieces of furniture out of his way to open up his main room. His living quarters were relatively sparse, which gave him space to practice.

After his morning routine, Alexandyr felt the familiar wanderlust, part and parcel of why he sojourned so often. The call to see new things or to meet new people meant his bones never felt comfortable in one place long, but even home was alien after a few years away. An easy remedy was to visit the market to take in the new faces, vendors, and sights.

Market stalls were always a favourite of his, and here in Estle, they were as bustling as any other core world. The sights and sounds were enough to swallow a man, but the scent of spices and cooked meats were pure bliss to a man like Alexandyr. He danced between the stalls, investigated the various wares, greeted the new faces, and caught up with the latest gossip in the system. Even at home, he couldn't escape the same cycle he repeated abroad. Find some food, gather local faces, gather intel, and squirrel it away. Anchor yourself in place and remember where everyone and everything belongs.

After a few laps through the market, he doubled back and made a few purchases, some spiced meats, local spices, alcohol, fruits, vegetables, and a broken blaster being sold for a steal. The man loved to find things to tinker with, if nothing else. Once he collected his bounty he made his way back to the apartment and settled in for the night.

"Alright, le'see what's goin' on with this blaster. Prob'ly just a warped emitter or lens, but with these older models, they're gonna be harder to source." He chuckled as he lay the weapon out on his table before he went to put his groceries away.

While he was still in the kitchenette, he pulled a few pans down from storage to prepare a dinner with his haul, setting them aside before he returned to his newest toy. A smirk played across his lips as he began to pull the weapon apart and lost himself in the process. He only stopped to prepare dinner when his stomach complained loudly enough to garner his attention.

"Well, I guess I'll figure you out in the morning. It's a bit later than I'd like tonight." He complained as he looked out to the twilight city.

"Maybe a few more days off will do me some good? Not like I ever change how I do things, anyway. But at least I can relax while doing them at home."

Placement
3rd place
Member
Obsidian
File submission
A Typical Day.docx
Placement
No placement
Member
Archpriest Quentinshadows
File submission
Day at the dig site.pdf
Placement
No placement
Member
Benn Nevis
File submission
a day in the life.pdf
Placement
No placement