A frequent blog where I share ideas and resources for fiction writers of all genres. Each issue is imagined independently and is intended to invoke inspiration.
In regards to that last prompt (man on fire), there's a Russian story from the early 20th century where the main character grows up wanting wishes to come true. He scientifically creates a whistling lobster (which would be equivalent to flying pigs in the English "pigs might fly"). Unfortunately, when the lobster whistles, people start having all these unpleasant things happening to them - it turns out human wishes are only powerful enough when thinking things like "I hope you die, you bastard!"
Eventually the inventor gets greedy and starts trying to force the lobster into more and more whistling. The lobster dies and is buried with an epitaph "Here lies a lobster which could make the wishes of humankind come true...DO NOT WAKE UP, PLEASE!"
In regards to that last prompt (man on fire), there's a Russian story from the early 20th century where the main character grows up wanting wishes to come true. He scientifically creates a whistling lobster (which would be equivalent to flying pigs in the English "pigs might fly"). Unfortunately, when the lobster whistles, people start having all these unpleasant things happening to them - it turns out human wishes are only powerful enough when thinking things like "I hope you die, you bastard!"
Eventually the inventor gets greedy and starts trying to force the lobster into more and more whistling. The lobster dies and is buried with an epitaph "Here lies a lobster which could make the wishes of humankind come true...DO NOT WAKE UP, PLEASE!"
:P
Wow! Sounds like a story that inspired The Twilight Zone….[[|:-D