Ask the Wonderball

by Eckhouse

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“You first,” Emily prodded. “I’m nervous. The answer has to be a number of some kind.”

“Alright,” said Lona. “How many boys have I made out with?”

The Wonderball’s swirled blue exterior shimmered. The effect was three dimensional, even while staring at it’s hard surface. Emily rotated the ball so that both girls could see the glass window at its pole.

The answer cube emerged from within the soupy red liquid inside with its response – 11.

“Lona!” hissed Emily. “My lord, girl.” Lona, not expecting the right answer, felt her cheeks flush.

Emily was excited. “Alright, my turn – how many boys will I make out with this school year?” The answer cube appeared, after only a few seconds – 0.

“Bummer, Em.”

“That’s so stupid!” yelled Emily, shaking the ball. “Why would I not make out with any boys during senior year? I mean, am I going to be dead, or like, in a coma or something?” She and Lona laughed in mutual disbelief.

The answer cube, meanwhile, returned to the window with its response – Yes.

Prequels

Write a prequel

Sequels

Write a sequel

Comments

Average Reader Rating: 5.0 stars out of 5

  1. Ask the Wonderball

    thebetweenspace's Buddy Icon thebetweenspace

    Posted 4 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Challenge or no challenge, I thought this was great. Terrifying last line. I wonder if the girls noticed the answer or not. It would almost be creepier if the girls didn’t know and the reveal was just for the benefit of the reader.

  2. Ask the Wonderball

    THX 0477's Buddy Icon THX 0477

    Posted 4 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Great little story idea. I really liked the two giggling girls asking silly questions and getting such a chilling possibility suggested by the Wonderball, which you so carefully set-up as being frighteningly accurate with the number of boys question.

  3. Ask the Wonderball

    PyroPunk 51 (PPP LoA)'s Buddy Icon PyroPunk 51 (PPP LoA)

    Posted 4 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    What I find intriguing is that the wonderball – even though it is only supposed to show numbers, suddenly returns a word. Could there be magic involved?
    LoA

  4. Ask the Wonderball

    John Perkins' Buddy Icon John Perkins

    Posted 4 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Cool, and creepy. Although I think you could have geeked out a little by having the ball reply with a 1 at the very end.

  5. Ask the Wonderball

    uselessness' Buddy Icon uselessness

    Posted 4 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    I loved it. The last line was positively chilling. Although John’s suggestion that the Wonderball ought to display boolean values as integers is just too nerdy for me – and I’m a computer programmer. ;-)
    LoA

  6. Ask the Wonderball

    Kevin Lawver's Buddy Icon Kevin Lawver

    Posted 4 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Very nice! That’s as good as any Twilight Zone episode, and in less than 1,024 characters!

  7. Ask the Wonderball

    Ridcully Calvert's Buddy Icon Ridcully Calvert

    Posted 4 months ago

    I thought that this was very good. And congrats on being featured!

    LoA

  8. Ask the Wonderball

    Mistress Elsha Hawk's Buddy Icon Mistress Elsha Hawk

    Posted 4 months ago

    Congrats as well, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Very creepy, it does have an essence of magic to it.

  9. Ask the Wonderball

    Blusparrow's Buddy Icon Blusparrow

    Posted 4 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Wow, creepy. That’s what I don’t like those future things, they almost tell you what the destiny holds. I want to make my own destiny.
    LoA

  10. Ask the Wonderball

    Flute Loop<33's Buddy Icon Flute Loop<33

    Posted 4 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    This is a next to perfect story, you already have a somewhat developed plot, and a cliff at the end, and it makes me want to read more! You should definatly sequel. =]
    LoA

  11. Ask the Wonderball

    Eckhouse's Buddy Icon Eckhouse

    Posted 4 months ago

    Holy nuts… I leave for an hour or so, and return to find myself featured. I am truly honored – thank you all.

  12. Ask the Wonderball

    JLaughter's Buddy Icon JLaughter

    Posted 4 months ago

    It’s a cool bit, Eckhouse. Everyone’s pretty much covered all the bases, though, so I’ll just say that I agree.

  13. Ask the Wonderball

    Ana Cristina's Buddy Icon Ana Cristina

    Posted 4 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Congrats on featuredom. That’s truly awesome, as is this ficlet. That’s a killer twist at the end, Mr. Eckhouse.

  14. Ask the Wonderball

    Ana Cristina's Buddy Icon Ana Cristina

    Posted 4 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    I couldn’t resist writing a sequel. Hope you don’t mind!

  15. Ask the Wonderball

    penguincaptain18's Buddy Icon penguincaptain18

    Posted 4 months ago

    Wow great Ficlet. I really like what you’ve started here!

  16. Ask the Wonderball

    KevMullins' Buddy Icon KevMullins

    Posted 4 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Fantastic work on this challenge piece!

  17. Ask the Wonderball

    Ariel 's Buddy Icon Ariel

    Posted 4 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Great story. I love the ending. I want to know more, possibly a sequel?

  18. Ask the Wonderball

    OrangeOreos' Buddy Icon OrangeOreos

    Posted 4 months ago

    Woot, featuredom!

    Congrats, and amazing ficlet!

  19. Ask the Wonderball

    R.A. Porter's Buddy Icon R.A. Porter

    Posted 4 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Really nice build. Great conclusion

  20. Ask the Wonderball

    Russell Ruffino's Buddy Icon Russell Ruffino

    Posted 4 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Congrats on being featured, fully deserved. Works great as a stand alone ficlet.

  21. Ask the Wonderball

    Dr. Mousse's Buddy Icon Dr. Mousse

    Posted 4 months ago

    Wow. This had a very chilling effect and I loved the ending. Congrats on being featured!
    LoA

  22. Ask the Wonderball

    i live NYLSC's Buddy Icon i live NYLSC

    Posted 4 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    awsomely chilling.

  23. Ask the Wonderball

    i live NYLSC's Buddy Icon i live NYLSC

    Posted 4 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    hey i didn’t even notice that pyropunk thanks for pointing that out. that really makes me wonder.

  24. Ask the Wonderball

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

    Posted 4 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    wow, I saw this featured and actually read the end first.. But it’s much better fom the begining!! haha.
    ~
    very good and grats on being featured.
    LoA

  25. Ask the Wonderball

    Jay Cee's Buddy Icon Jay Cee

    Posted 4 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Very good. And I like how the type of answer changes at the end.

    Congrats on being featured!

  26. Ask the Wonderball

    Bilfurd's Buddy Icon Bilfurd

    Posted 4 months ago

    Nicely done

  27. Ask the Wonderball

    Nissakit's Buddy Icon Nissakit

    Posted 4 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Very creepy. Yeah about what pyropunk said, that would be extremely scary. Terrifying last line, and even more so if the girls did notice it..that would be horrible. Congrats on getting featured!

  28. Ask the Wonderball

    Bring Out Your Inner Emo Kid <3's Buddy Icon Bring Out Your Inner Emo Kid <3

    Posted 4 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    I absolutely love this, because it seems so realistic. I can visualize it all in my mind right nbow. Amazing!

  29. Ask the Wonderball

    Phil Sporlan's Buddy Icon Phil Sporlan

    Posted 3 months ago

    very cool series, I’m proud to be a part of it. Nice work everyone!

  30. Ask the Wonderball

    ZorkFox's Buddy Icon ZorkFox

    Posted 3 months ago

    Heh. So much for the answers being numbers. Don’t you hate it when your magic toys suddenly stop following the rules told you by the nice Chinese gentleman who sold them to you? :)

  31. Ask the Wonderball

    Music-Hearted's Buddy Icon Music-Hearted

    Posted 3 months ago

    Wow, great job. The last line is really creepy, but the rest just feels natural. Nice!
    LoA

  32. Ask the Wonderball

    JMBauhaus' Buddy Icon JMBauhaus

    Posted 3 months ago

    Chiming in to offer congrats and agreement that this is both excellent and excellently creeptastic.

  33. Ask the Wonderball

    Blossom Ruoqen's Buddy Icon Blossom Ruoqen

    Posted 3 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Better late comment than never, aye? :P I loved this ficlet. I could almost sense something when the other girls started laughing, but the ending STILL caught me off guard! great job

  34. Ask the Wonderball

    LovingYourHeartbreak♥'s Buddy Icon LovingYourHeartbreak♥

    Posted 3 months ago

    OMG thats sooooo good!!! scarrryyyy!

  35. Ask the Wonderball

    noflagdiva101's Buddy Icon noflagdiva101

    Posted 3 months ago

    awesome thats all i can say

  36. Ask the Wonderball

    noflagdiva101's Buddy Icon noflagdiva101

    Posted 3 months ago

    awesome thats all i can say

  37. Ask the Wonderball

    grazulis' Buddy Icon grazulis

    Posted 3 months ago

    Definitely needs a sequel, need to know if the ball is correct or not, or whether there’s some way out…

  38. Ask the Wonderball

    ALRO613 ♪ LoA ♫'s Buddy Icon ALRO613 ♪ LoA ♫

    Posted 3 months ago

    The last line sold me! Very Twilight Zone.
    Hums the Theme-Song

  39. Ask the Wonderball

    atllta's Buddy Icon atllta

    Posted 3 months ago

    Very cool Eckhouse, loved that last line, especially in terms of a question not being directed at the ball itself.

  40. Ask the Wonderball

    tulsatrey's Buddy Icon tulsatrey

    Posted 3 months ago

    very entertaining!

  41. Ask the Wonderball

    Emmyful's Buddy Icon Emmyful

    Posted 3 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Wow! One of the better featured ficlets I’ve read in a while!

  42. Ask the Wonderball

    User 9748's Buddy Icon User 9748

    Posted 3 months ago

    The answer cube should only respond in numbers. But it says yes. What?

  43. Ask the Wonderball

    Not You's Buddy Icon Not You

    Posted 3 months ago

    wipes black masquera tear from face with shredded tissue
    this is such a sad story,the main character is about to be cut down in the prime of her youth before she even experiences the plesure of being felt up in the back of a limo on the way to her senior prom and the writer dosent have the capacity to make me care less.

  44. Ask the Wonderball

    Twitch's Buddy Icon Twitch

    Posted 3 months ago

    congrats on being featured… I wish I could write as good as you! Could you do me a favor and read my orphanage series and tell me what I can do to make it more interesting?

  45. Ask the Wonderball

    Seeker65's Buddy Icon Seeker65

    Posted 3 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    This just begged for a Twilight Zone/Outer Limits type of prequel. I hope you enjoy it. It’s nice to have such a solid start.

  46. Ask the Wonderball

    Seeker65's Buddy Icon Seeker65

    Posted 3 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    I almost forgot. I used your description of the Wonderball verbatim because it created such a vivid image, I felt I had to call that back to tie the stories together. Hope you don’t mind.

  47. Ask the Wonderball

    Reverie's Buddy Icon Reverie

    Posted 3 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Wow…this was excellent! Cute and fun at the beginning, and AWESOME twist at the end. This is true entertainment. Congrats on being featured!

  48. Ask the Wonderball

    Yujji's Buddy Icon Yujji

    Posted 3 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    This is really kewl I like this and congrats n.n

  49. Ask the Wonderball

    From the ashes' Buddy Icon From the ashes

    Posted 3 months ago

    4.0 out of 5 stars

    Ooohh, I shuddered at the end. Was not expecting it. Nicely done.

  50. Ask the Wonderball

    problematique <3's Buddy Icon problematique <3

    Posted 2 months ago

    Oh its my turn to comment. Great story!!!

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