Limits of Immortality

by l.m.orchard

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“Do you remember the first time you were badly hurt?”

“Not really. Don’t we all experience our share of scrapes and bruises in childhood?”

“No, that’s not what I mean. Have you ever suffered an injury of such severity that you were left less capable than you were before? One that took weeks or months to heal?”

“Oh, I see. Yes. I broke my leg once, back in college. We were drunk and where we shouldn’t’ve been. I fell off our dorm roof.”

“Do you take risks like that anymore, just for fun?”

“No, I’m too old for that sort of thing these days.”

“When did you first think of yourself as too old?”

“Hmm. I can’t really say—though, I think I see your point.”

“Do you? Tell me, then: Why are we not drunk on a rooftop tonight?”

“Because I’ve been diminished that way before and I fear repeating the experience.”

“Surely you realize that, though ancient, we are no longer so frail and easily harmed?”

“Yes, but the lesson remains a part of me and informs my decisions.”

“Just so. Thus are we rendered unadventurous.”

Prequels

Write a prequel

Sequels

Write a sequel

Comments

Average Reader Rating: 4.0 stars out of 5

  1. Limits of Immortality

    THX 0477's Buddy Icon THX 0477

    Posted 7 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    I like it, a philosophical approach to immortality, more thoughtful and less violent. Nicely done dialog as well; the formal tone fits two people who’ve been around a long time and are now sanguinely considering life as they know it.
    LoA

  2. Limits of Immortality

    l.m.orchard's Buddy Icon l.m.orchard

    Posted 7 months ago

    Thanks :) I’m rusty on the Ficlets front – was hoping this didn’t get too stilted or infodumpy right as I hit the character limit.

  3. Limits of Immortality

    Algai 'D' Aman's Buddy Icon Algai 'D' Aman

    Posted 7 months ago

    Welcome back!
    I really enjoyed this dialog. Seems that even immortals remember their lessons.

  4. Limits of Immortality

    Saint Chuck's Buddy Icon Saint Chuck

    Posted 6 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Great way to make a comeback. I’ve always been a sucker for philosophical discussions.

  5. Limits of Immortality

    emma jo_234's Buddy Icon emma jo_234

    Posted 6 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Wow, that’s cool, how it really makes you think . I love how you told a story solely through dialogue, but it stayed interesting.

  6. Limits of Immortality

    flute faerie's Buddy Icon flute faerie

    Posted 6 months ago

    I love philosophical stories. This was cool cuz it was thoughtful, but also w/ dialouge. Kudos to you!

  7. Limits of Immortality

    .:band baby:.'s Buddy Icon .:band baby:.

    Posted 6 months ago

    Nice, made me think. =)

  8. Limits of Immortality

    Autumn Night's Buddy Icon Autumn Night

    Posted 6 months ago

    I like the style of this; that there is just dialogue with no explanation of the characters or emotions. Great job!

  9. Limits of Immortality

    Beautiful Rain's Buddy Icon Beautiful Rain

    Posted 6 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    wow, bravo. I really appreciated your little piece. As a person who looks at life as one big adventure, I love that you brought to light the fear of pain that tends to drive and limit most people’s everyday life.

  10. Limits of Immortality

    SKermitgorf's Buddy Icon SKermitgorf

    Posted 6 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    soounds like a counseling session.. not that I’d know for sure.. love the dialogue, the one sounds learned and Dr ish, the other in need of talking about life issues. well done.

  11. Limits of Immortality

    SKermitgorf's Buddy Icon SKermitgorf

    Posted 6 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Congrats on the Featured ficlet

  12. Limits of Immortality

    SocccerISmyLIFE's Buddy Icon SocccerISmyLIFE

    Posted 6 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    wow. I liked this. it really made me think. Like isnt there a quote out there thats like its better to have a lived ur life then went ur life unlived? Its something like that. But anyway great ficlet!

  13. Limits of Immortality

    Yeah Write!'s Buddy Icon Yeah Write!

    Posted 6 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    great! all i’m gonna say!

  14. Limits of Immortality

    FlirtingWithaBrickWall's Buddy Icon FlirtingWithaBrickWall

    Posted 6 months ago

    So, I sent this to one of my friends, told him this is exactly what’s wrong with us, and he said, “wow, read something a little less deep,” probably because it was about 12:30 at night. Regardless, we both loved it.

  15. Limits of Immortality

    sirch14's Buddy Icon sirch14

    Posted 6 months ago

    oh, wonderful! :)

  16. Limits of Immortality

    Alexa ♥'s Buddy Icon Alexa ♥

    Posted 6 months ago

    Why are we not drunk on a rooftop tonight
    This is always a good question to ask. Why am I not, right now, drunk on some rooftop? Sounds lovely.
    ~
    I liked the piece, but I was hoping someone would add to it – this really makes me wonder about the characters (like how/why are they immortal).

  17. Limits of Immortality

    JMBauhaus' Buddy Icon JMBauhaus

    Posted 6 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    I also think this is a great beginning for something. I’m not the person to add to it, but I hope somebody does. It’s really thought-provoking.

  18. Limits of Immortality

    [pens&feathers]'s Buddy Icon [pens&feathers]

    Posted 6 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Very, very thought-provoking. I love things that make me thing, and this definately has. Fabulous discussion!

  19. Limits of Immortality

    TreeBeard's Buddy Icon TreeBeard

    Posted 6 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    My brain almost exploded there.

  20. Limits of Immortality

    White Hat's Buddy Icon White Hat

    Posted 6 months ago

    4.0 out of 5 stars

    So, this a sort of semi-indestructibility immortality…

    I would have guessed they had become uploaded minds in either android bodies or a virtualized world… But if it were the former, I doubt they could get drunk… and if it were the latter I doubt they’d be having this conversation.

    Could be cyborgs. The at-least-modernish implied setting (reference: “dorm roof”) and the semiawkward style of conversation seem to imply this over, say, magic, but not exclusively. Vampirism is a viable alternative.

  21. Limits of Immortality

    Brickbrick's Buddy Icon Brickbrick

    Posted 5 months ago

    interesting good job

  22. Limits of Immortality

    User 7961's Buddy Icon User 7961

    Posted 5 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Great job I.m. orchard! I luv this story! it just makes me feel that if i were that person I would be more careful about how i live my life.

  23. Limits of Immortality

    Blusparrow's Buddy Icon Blusparrow

    Posted 4 months ago

    Omg! wasn’t this featured ficlet before? or am I going crazy?! if so congrats on getting it featured twice!

  24. Limits of Immortality

    SKermitgorf's Buddy Icon SKermitgorf

    Posted 4 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    featured 2x’s awesome. one of your best.

  25. Limits of Immortality

    HeartlessAngel4LYFE's Buddy Icon HeartlessAngel4LYFE

    Posted 4 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    wow….nice one

  26. Limits of Immortality

    emma jo_234's Buddy Icon emma jo_234

    Posted 4 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Hey, congrats on Featured twice!!!!

  27. Limits of Immortality

    l.m.orchard's Buddy Icon l.m.orchard

    Posted 4 months ago

    Whoa – featured twice? crazy! also – belated thanks for the massive flood of compliments!

  28. Limits of Immortality

    Dave's Buddy Icon Dave

    Posted 3 months ago

    Great story. It brings back memories (No, I did not fall off that dorm roof!). :-)

    Dave

  29. Limits of Immortality

    Great Ach's Buddy Icon Great Ach

    Posted 3 months ago

    That was good! I couldn’t figure out who was talking to who… it almost sounded like a psychiatrist… but no matter! It was still very very good.

  30. Limits of Immortality

    Great Ach's Buddy Icon Great Ach

    Posted 3 months ago

    Darn… that’s why I didn’t know who was talking to who. It was a sequel, sorry. :)

  31. Limits of Immortality

    thebetweenspace's Buddy Icon thebetweenspace

    Posted 3 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Superb waxing philosophical. Adding you to my contacts now.

  32. Limits of Immortality

    Mk's Buddy Icon Mk

    Posted 2 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Very interesting, it definitly makes you think about things :) keep up the good work!

  33. Limits of Immortality

    Asher Crow's Buddy Icon Asher Crow

    Posted about 1 month ago

    Just read it. Very good! I liked it quite a lot. I almost picture demigods of an old, gone pantheon speaking this.

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