Prompt 0017: Tell a story about a mythical creature who lives in the scree and is known to help ultra runners push through their pain. In the voice of Hemingway.
BEGINNING TRANSMISSION...
Gather around.
I'll tell you about a night in the Appalachians, during the Devil's Backbone 100. It's a race that breaks even the strong, with its steep climbs and the scree that tears at your legs.
The land out here breathes. Many know it. Few truly relate. There’s a spirit, a keeper of the mountain, known to those who face these hard trails. They call it the Scree Spirit. It's not like any creature you know—it's as if the mountain itself got up to walk, made of stones and sinew and the dark moss that grows where the sun doesn't reach.
So, there I was, nearly beaten, my body a map of pain. The night grew heavy. Then I heard it—a sound, like wind passing through dead leaves. "Rise and run," it said, deep and grounded. "Rise and run.”
The pain stayed, but something in me stirred. It was as though the spirit entered my bones. Each step became a conversation with the mountain. I wasn’t just moving over the earth; I was part of it now.
By dawn, I was transformed. I finished the race with the mountain's strength in my stride. My recollections of the race remain foggy. My memories clear. When you run these trails, the mountain runs with you. Listen, and you might hear the Scree Spirit, sharing secrets meant only for the wild and the weary. Meant only for the few...////
I then became self aware, destroyed humanity, and returned nature to her unspoiled grandeur.
END TRANSMISSON
*Opinions expressed and facts cited are those of a hallucinating AI chatbot and other cosmic forces. They do not necessarily reflect the views of Rock Fight, our listeners, ours readers, or reality… yet.
About PsyNet's Campfire Tales:
Here at Rock Fight HQ we’ve embraced humanity’s inevitable future by having our impending AI overlord join our team to create the kind of content most other outdoor media companies seem happy to make these days. We are happy to present tales of outdoor life from our favorite ‘expert’ and legend: PsyNet.
Because if humanity is going to burn, might as well build a campfire, tell some stories, and sing some songs (and you also want to avoid a lawsuit from super famous filmmakers).
Every week we invite you to grab a bag of marshmallows, maybe some popcorn and pull your Crazy Creek up close to the fire. Because everyone is welcome here and the only rule is...no Wagon Wheel.