Hugh J. O'Donnell

It was supposed to be petty revenge. The sorcerer surrendered the bag of coins to the tax collector, only smirking a little.
That night, the coins would grow little legs and skitter back to him. The spell was usually used as a prank to scare first-year students.
He went to sleep dreaming of his wealth returning to him and woke up on a bed of coins. A small error in the spell’s structure caused it to spread, infecting every coin in the treasury.
The sorcerer quickly packed up his little house and disappeared to start his new life of crime.

“Coin” by jetalone is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Everyday Drabbles © 2026 by Hugh J. O’Donnell is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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When he took the farm’s surplus crop into the town to sell, his mother and grandmother made sure he was protected.
They gave him amulets and charms, and a cold-forged knife to protect himself. They warned him to count fingers, and never make no a promise or a bargain that he couldn’t keep. They told him to stay away from strangers and running water.
But as the fog rolled in on his return home he became lost and found himself on a dock instead of the familiar bridge.
Despite his caution, he still found himself taken away by the ferries.

“Mort’s Dock & Engineering Company c.1855” by Balmain & Glebe Heritage is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Everyday Drabbles © 2026 by Hugh J. O’Donnell is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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When the brothers captured Medusa, they first went about rendering the monster harmless. They bound her hand and foot, and wrapped a blindfold tightly over her eyes. They beheaded the venomous serpents that crawled through her hair.
While the gorgon wept in a corner, the trio argued over how and where to sell their bounty.
When the crying turned to laugher, the eldest brother came up and boldly struck their bound captive.
“What’s so funny, monster?” He asked.
“They were never snakes,” she replied. “They’re hydras!”
“Bring a torch, quickly!” The eldest brother called, but it was already too late.

“Rondanini Medusa Glyptothek Munich 252 n1” by Unknown (Greek original by Phidias) is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Everyday Drabbles © 2026 by Hugh J. O’Donnell is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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The station owners held a ball every year on the Outer Ring, in a docking bay converted into a recreation 18th century ballroom.
The guest list was exclusive, and the dress code black tie.
The Safety Officer was appalled, but obligated to attend. When he arrived he caused a stir, but he’d followed the letter of the dress code, squeezing a cummerbund and dinner jacket over his space suit. His gloves were white.
He endured criticism of his attire all through cocktail hour, but when the emergency docking alarm triggered during the salad course, he was the only one prepared.

“TINYHI Men’s Pre-Tied Satin Formal Tuxedo Bowtie Adjustable Length Satin Bow Tie” by Shopping Guide 7 is marked with CC0 1.0.

Everyday Drabbles © 2026 by Hugh J. O’Donnell is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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When the wanderers stumbled across an unexpected oasis in the desert, they couldn’t believe their luck. They climbed a rise and found themselves looking down at a small forest of palm trees, laden with sweet, ripe fruit ringing pools of cool, clear water. It felt like a miracle.
Some fell on their knees and gave thanks, while others rushed forward, intent on taking advantage of their good fortune.
But none of them realized the truth until it was too late. Even a paradise is an ecosystem, and all ecosystems have an apex predator. The beast watched their approach with interest.

“49 Palms Oasis; Twentynine Palms, CA” by Joshua Tree National Park is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0.

Everyday Drabbles © 2026 by Hugh J. O’Donnell is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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She maneuvered the horse carefully into the yard as the stablehands opened the gate. He was spirited after being cooped up, and she patted his flank affectionately.
He was an exceptional steed, and she was an experienced rider. But as she looked out beyond the fence, she felt a familiar stab of queasy panic she tried to ignore.
She tapped her heels gently against her flank. Pegasus burst into a full run, and leapt through the gate. He spread his wings and caught the air.
Her mind stopped screaming that horses were not meant to fly and her heart sang.

“Pegasus on Pont Alexandre, Paris” by Max London is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Everyday Drabbles © 2026 by Hugh J. O’Donnell is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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She came to the graveyard every night, and simply sat.. The dead, rising like steam from their graves, regarded her with suspicion. No shade takes kindly to a necromancer’s presence.
But she did them no harm, only sat and listened. And she left offerings behind every morning. Slowly, like animals tamed by careful feeding, the dead accepted her presence. Eventually, they told her their stories.
The other necromancers mocked her for her gentle methods. The dead were to be commanded, not befriended.
She ignored their foolish criticism. She knew that there were some secrets you could never take by force.

“Lonely Graveyard, Grafton Ghost Town, UT 8-2007” by inkknife_2000 (11.5 million views) is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Everyday Drabbles © 2026 by Hugh J. O’Donnell is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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The owl perched high in the trees, watching the forest below below. It struggled to focus, though.
The familiar was tasked with scouting for his wizard’s enemies, but its instincts screamed to hunt prey among the undergrowth. Powerful magic and ancient instincts warred within it’s mind.
The bird froze, sensing movement below. A squirrel scampered onto a fallen log. The owl watched, magic constraining muscles trying to tense for flight.
Suddenly, the squirrel spat a gout of flame into the trees. The owl dodged and dived, descending on the familiar of his wizard’s rival.
Sometimes, desires could be in concert.

“Great Horned Owl” by brendan.lally….away is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Everyday Drabbles © 2026 by Hugh J. O’Donnell is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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The thief held his hand lightly over the shelf, feeling for the telltale tingle of magic trapped in ink and vellum.
Carefully, as to only bend the ward and not break it, he slid a scroll free and slipped it into his bag with the others.
He left the manor the way he’d come. He already had a buyer lined up for the scrolls, one who didn’t fear the Merchant Lords or Sorcerer Princes.
It had taken him a lifetime to learn the skills needed to steal the scrolls. Someday, he promised himself, he would learn how to read them.

“Frankfurt Book Fair Guest of Honour Scroll” by NZatFrankfurt is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Everyday Drabbles © 2026 by Hugh J. O’Donnell is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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