{"id":2472,"date":"2014-03-04T02:02:46","date_gmt":"2014-03-04T02:02:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.everywritersresource.com\/shortstories\/?p=2472"},"modified":"2014-03-23T21:41:49","modified_gmt":"2014-03-23T21:41:49","slug":"five-rules-jason-visconti","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.everywritersresource.com\/shortstories\/five-rules-jason-visconti\/","title":{"rendered":"The Five Rules by Jason Visconti"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Betrayal<\/a>
Betrayal by Mario Sanche Nevado<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Five Rules<\/p>\n

by Jason Visconti<\/p>\n

At a certain time in the universe I was required to ring the world’s bell. No one could tinker with it, it was only mine. It was golden and statuesque and hovered with the breath of a thousand gods. Well, that’s taking it too far. A pretty thing though, too pretty to signify an apocalypse I thought. So I took out my handbook on the Ends Of Times just to make sure I was prepared.<\/p>\n

Step 1: Stand back a safe distance. This is to make sure you are not confused in the
\nFates.<\/p>\n

I backed up in the steeple, at the least I had a sense I could avoid the physical
\npain.<\/p>\n

Step 2: Do not try to calculate when you swing. Trust in the natural powers of your
\narms.<\/p>\n

So I let my arms fall limp and searched my powers.<\/p>\n

Step 3: Do not fear what you do not know.<\/p>\n

I studied the instrument dazzled that it would soon be in motion.<\/p>\n

Step 4: Do not descend down the stair for your neighbors would have left.<\/p>\n

That one was kinda poetic, wasn’t it?<\/p>\n

And then the final rule:<\/p>\n

Do not shirk from your duty. Obviously that will undermine the previous four rules.<\/p>\n

Then there came the seed of resentment planted in my swinging hand: I squeezed a small fist. I did not want to stir up anything, I barely leave my own house.<\/p>\n

“Hey you ” I said to myself, consider what happens if you don’t. The five rules having been written especially for you?<\/p>\n

Like I said I was to act at a certain time, and I did. And I never do what I’m told.<\/p>\n

And who the hell knows the difference.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

At a certain time in the universe I was required to ring the world’s bell. No one could tinker with it, it was only mine. It was golden and statuesque and hovered with the breath of a thousand gods.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2473,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[375],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2472","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-literary-story"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t