Power
By Louis Nemzer

A lone figure moves silently through a darkened room. An eerie glow emanates from a computer monitor that soon illuminates his face as he approaches. He moves towards the computer, as if beckoned by its hypnotic stare and sits before the pristine screen. He quietly ponders the infinite possibilities at his command. His fingers begin to tingle as they position themselves over the keyboard.

Power…Limitless Power!

An evil smile comes to his face. “I have complete control over my story. I can create…I can destroy…I can even make an anvil inexplicably materialize over a character and crush him to death. My characters are my pawns to shower my benevolence upon - or, if I desire, to torment for my amusement…I have ascended the throne that is the Writer’s chair, and shall reign with omnipotence over all I have created!”

An evil laugh spews forth from the Writer’s mouth.

“Oh no!” he says, with a perverse smile, “there seems to be a severe lack of conflict in this story…I’ll remedy that right away…A randomly appearing portal to a parallel universe should shake things up a bit! Or, perhaps after the protagonist accidentally kills his one true love before he has a chance to reveal his true feelings for her, interesting things will start to happen!”

“Of course, I’m not above playing favorites! After a few well-placed plot contrivances, the neglected wretch will be ruler of the galaxy! My caprices determine who lives happily-ever-after and who will wish they were never created!” 

An unsettling thought interrupts the Writer’s diatribe.

“What if… what if… I, myself, am nothing more that a character in someone’s narrative – and my fate completely at the mercy of some greater force?”

He dismisses it outright.
“Impossible!” 

Unfortunately, the ensuing maniacal laughter is cut short by an anvil that inexplicably materializes over his head.