The Cursed Chest

 The men stared at the chest. The lid was covered in an archaic script, but every man knew what the script said. They had been taught "The Cursed Chest" poem since childhood. It was meant to deter men such as themselves from opening the chest. It translated:

"Beware, ye fools, who open this chest.
Beware, ye fools, of what happens next.

Open this chest and you invite strife.
Beware, ye fools, you'll forfeit your life.

Open this chest and death you invite.
Beware, ye fools, you won't last the night."

One of them spoke up, "So, Captain, do we open it?"

Supervillain "Honey Do"

To Do:

1. Feed dragon
2. Repair evil robots
3. Practice monologing
4. Practice evil laugh
5. Finish evil potion from yesterday
6. Torture prisoners
7. Work on dark magic spellbook
8. Fine-tune plans for global domination and destruction
9. Write manifesto and demands
10. Publish threats
11. Look through henchman applications
12. Prep tomorrow's menacing outfit
13. Pick up:
1. eye if newt
2. toe of giant
3. wing of bat
4. graveyard dirt
5. bundle of human hair
6. quart of blood
7. milk
8. cookies

A Heavy Choice

I stared at the list of names. All of these people, every single one, was a stranger. Most importantly, every single one was dead; and they were dead because of me. I was my fault, and yet.... it wasn't. I'd had decision to make. No matter what I did, people were going to die. The question had been, "How many?" I tried not to make the decision, be all "smart-alek" and going with "no one;" but people had died anyway. The one forcing the decision on me had reminded me that the question was "How many? Would it be a  small handful of unknown, but no less important, people? Or, a larger group, who's size was the equivalent of a small nation? How many people would die?" Finally, I chose. Heaven help me, I chose. "The needs of the many..." and all that. What else was I supposed to do? Let a millions of people die, or only a couple hundred? I am not proud of my choice, but I wouldn't change it. The decision was made, and I have to live with it. You judge me, but if the choice had been yours, what would you have done?