I tried to look cool as I walked into the academy, but I'm sure my face looked like I just bit into a hot pocket that had been in the microwave for 20 minutes. The floor was furry from echoes, and the walls smiled a gap-toothed grin at me. This is my home for the next 4 years? Crikey.
I thought of an amusing one. As often happens, I went horribly over par. I count 198 words. But they're all worth it.
---
Eschewing hemlock, the storied philosopher Johnny Plato (also fabled for his Greek washing up liquid), to the befuddlement of his fellow wisdom-lovers, suddenly decided to take a final, permanent retirement and withdrew to a life of hermetic cave-dwelling isolation.
Although generations of philosophers since have puzzled over this odd decision, the recent discovery of a lost papyrus fragment from the ill-fated city of Pompeii sheds some light on the matter.
This fragment purports to contain Plato’s last words, as he disappeared into that cave for good. After muttering something about how despite the original members of his elite Academy being indeed possessed of uncommon intelligence, and a delight to debate, in recent years the new intake had been decidedly less than satisfactory, being composed mainly of the stupid offspring of the richer class of Athenian aristocracy. We then read the first ever use of the term ‘dumbing down’.
Plato, clearly, was disgusted with this ignorance.
Thus he designed to retire.
Taking one final glance back at his former friends, he is said to have uttered the following, before returning to His Cave. “Let it not be said,” he intoned, “that I ever lacked for a sense of irony.”
“Apologies, Mr. Hierrio, while you qualify to attend, we can not accept you to our academy in good conscience. There is no means of ensuring your safety at our campus.” He kept his gaze on the paper, rejecting him, as his mother hugged him. Regardless of the choice he made, he would be staying at his home for this semester.
They called it "The Academy." The small room filled with old books and rickety desks shared space with the church and meeting hall. Town children learned more within those shabby walls than in any gleaming ivory edifice: how to read the Good Book, cipher a square deal, and keep the Law from taking the land. It was a fine school.
Herm’s graduation from Law School was pure luck. He struggled to prepare for the final exam. His parents had been killed three weeks prior to the testing. He knew the material, but his mind was trampled. He remained angry in grief. His future demanded a devotion to his career, which he no longer had. He was so disillusioned as his phone rang.
We used to laugh at Fred, who spent all his time in the woods, talking to wild animals. But we were all grateful to him after the hurricane. We were stranded with no electricity, no food, no running water. Luckily, Fred was kind enough to forgive us and helped us all survive, using the skills he'd learned in Nature's Academy.
PROMPT: ACADEMY
THE ACADEMY
He’d overheard them earlier, talking about his future.
They were planning to send him away.
He needed proper guidance, they said, to reach his full potential and make them proud.
So it’d been decided.
Fairly soon, he was being shipped off to the Academy.
The Academy for badly behaved dogs… 🐶😎🐶
I tried to look cool as I walked into the academy, but I'm sure my face looked like I just bit into a hot pocket that had been in the microwave for 20 minutes. The floor was furry from echoes, and the walls smiled a gap-toothed grin at me. This is my home for the next 4 years? Crikey.
60mg of an Academy.
I thought of an amusing one. As often happens, I went horribly over par. I count 198 words. But they're all worth it.
---
Eschewing hemlock, the storied philosopher Johnny Plato (also fabled for his Greek washing up liquid), to the befuddlement of his fellow wisdom-lovers, suddenly decided to take a final, permanent retirement and withdrew to a life of hermetic cave-dwelling isolation.
Although generations of philosophers since have puzzled over this odd decision, the recent discovery of a lost papyrus fragment from the ill-fated city of Pompeii sheds some light on the matter.
This fragment purports to contain Plato’s last words, as he disappeared into that cave for good. After muttering something about how despite the original members of his elite Academy being indeed possessed of uncommon intelligence, and a delight to debate, in recent years the new intake had been decidedly less than satisfactory, being composed mainly of the stupid offspring of the richer class of Athenian aristocracy. We then read the first ever use of the term ‘dumbing down’.
Plato, clearly, was disgusted with this ignorance.
Thus he designed to retire.
Taking one final glance back at his former friends, he is said to have uttered the following, before returning to His Cave. “Let it not be said,” he intoned, “that I ever lacked for a sense of irony.”
Agree, using math as the only indicator is a bit overrated.
Microfiction - 60mg of an Academy
===
‘Will you finish that?’
He pointed to her half-filled form.
End-of-school survey, ten pages long.
“They left out the most important question.”
He listened while folding up his own survey booklet.
“I knew nobody before this academy. But after five years, I know a special one.”
He looked up. She smiled brightly at him, discreetly listening to his elevated heartbeats.
It Is Academic
Prompt by: THE FICTION DEALER : Microdosing Fiction - 60mg of an ACADEMY
“Are we wrestling with academic brilliance or are we simply accepting mediocre work?” asked the Dean of the Academy.
A hand rose near the back of the room.
“Yes Perkins?” the Dean spit out.
“Sir, we always begin each semester with mediocre work but through engagement we develop minds to see the brilliance they can achieve.”
“Well said Mr. Perkins.”
Mr. Perkins is a good teacher.
Yup. The good ones always see the positive and build up their students
Congratulations
“Congratulations. You’ve been accepted to Crimson Academy based on your magical aptitude.”
I blink sleepily at the severe-looking woman suddenly standing in my bedroom. “Wha...me? Magic?”
“Not you. The entity residing inside you. Now, stay still while we extract it.”
She raises her hands and mutters an incantation. Deep inside, a burning begins—the pain grows—I die shrieking.
Well, at least the entity gets the education it needs
Academy - 60mg
When Xander opened his acceptance letter to Silverthorn, he thought it was a mistake.
But curiosity won.
On his first day at the academy,
a girl vanished into mist,
a boy levitated,
and the principal had fangs.
“You're not like the others,” said a girl with glowing eyes.
Xander swallowed hard.
Normal teen,
wrong school—
unless fate had other plans.
That reads like a mega hook for a teen supernatural novel. I love it!
The Final Test
---
I stalked my target for weeks.
Learned his habits. Studied his pattern.
Today, I strike!
Cyanide in the wineglass.
But before he sips, he smiles.
“Rule one of Assassination Academy: Confidence kills quicker than poison.”
A red light flares overhead.
“Fail,” says the instructor — throwing a dagger at my chest!
It thuds harmlessly. Wood.
“Next time, don’t be so predictable.”
----
Prompt: Academy in 60 words
Yes. Want to read assasination academy immedietly.
Miguel, that would be an awesome superpower to have, can you imagine controlling others' thoughts...oh, the fun we could have
It would've haha
“Apologies, Mr. Hierrio, while you qualify to attend, we can not accept you to our academy in good conscience. There is no means of ensuring your safety at our campus.” He kept his gaze on the paper, rejecting him, as his mother hugged him. Regardless of the choice he made, he would be staying at his home for this semester.
Why's he in danger?
The academy took us young. Promised greatness. Delivered grit.
By winter, we slept in shifts, drank code, and bled essays.
Ezra vanished after the empathy exam.
Jules blinked Morse code during yearbook photos.
Graduation was one word:
Ascend.
I hesitated.
Now I teach here.
And every fall, I watch the new ones break—
just like we did.
LOVED this, Max, and welcome
Thanks for writing with us Max!
First time throwing down here—just subscribed.
Appreciate you hosting, Miguel. This one cracked me open a bit.
Glad to be part of it.
Welcome Max, You will find some wonderful helpful writers here!
April 18 Academy 60 words
They called it "The Academy." The small room filled with old books and rickety desks shared space with the church and meeting hall. Town children learned more within those shabby walls than in any gleaming ivory edifice: how to read the Good Book, cipher a square deal, and keep the Law from taking the land. It was a fine school.
Herm’s graduation from Law School was pure luck. He struggled to prepare for the final exam. His parents had been killed three weeks prior to the testing. He knew the material, but his mind was trampled. He remained angry in grief. His future demanded a devotion to his career, which he no longer had. He was so disillusioned as his phone rang.
Sometimes you have a life planned and life throws you an insane curveball.
We used to laugh at Fred, who spent all his time in the woods, talking to wild animals. But we were all grateful to him after the hurricane. We were stranded with no electricity, no food, no running water. Luckily, Fred was kind enough to forgive us and helped us all survive, using the skills he'd learned in Nature's Academy.
I need that kind of academy.
I have few friends that are like Fred, and I would need them 100% cause my survival skills are literally 0
That's quite the handy guy!
We all need a Fred in our lives. 😁
Everyone should attend this academy. I wish I could...
https://www.american.edu/wcl/impact/initiatives-programs/hracademy/about/index.cfm