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kane_magus) wrote2021-07-14 01:44 am
kane_magus) wrote2021-07-14 01:44 am
Entry tags:
The Boy and His Mother and Grandfather
Another short story, written entirely by NovelAI, except for the first line. It's just a story about a little boy in the park with his mother, who then go home and have dinner with the boy's grandfather.
I hit "Retry" on this one a few more times than I did on the last one, in this case if the AI made a non sequitur response or otherwise tried to take the story in a weirder or creepier or darker direction (e.g. at one point towards the end, it tried to kill off the grandfather, and though that certainly could have been an interesting, if sad twist, if I'd let it stand, I just wasn't feeling that at all). But other than that, I made no actual edits to it myself.
Honestly, while you can definitely "play" NovelAI like a "game" the same way you can with AI Dungeon, I kind of like just letting the AI go (within reason) and seeing what it comes up with. It seems to be better at that than AI Dungeon is. (For one thing, again, NovelAI doesn't try to randomly turn a story into porn out of nowhere. *eye roll* Or at least it hasn't yet.)
The little boy was sitting with his mother in the park. The boy had been crying, but he'd stopped when she told him to stop. Now he sat quietly and watched a pair of squirrels play tag on top of an old oak tree trunk that stood at the edge of their small patch of grass.
"Do you like it?" asked Mommy. "This is where I used to come as a child." She pointed toward a bench by the lake across from them. "I would sit there and read books while my father took me fishing or we just walked along the shoreline. Sometimes we went swimming together." Her voice caught in her throat for a moment before continuing. "It's nice here," she said softly.
"Yes!" agreed the boy. He smiled up at her.
Mommy looked down at him fondly. "You know what else is really cool about this place? It has some very special trees that are all different kinds. You see those over there?" She indicated two large oaks standing side-by-side. One was tall and straight and covered with green leaves; the other one was much smaller and twisted around its base. They were both beautiful.
"Those are called white oaks," explained Mommy. "They're native to these parts. There's another kind of tree nearby—a redwood. That's not native to our area, though. It came all the way from California. And then there's a mountain ash, which is also foreign to us. But they're all so interesting! So many people have studied them because of how unusual they are."
She reached out and touched her son's head gently. "These woods are full of stories, sweetheart," she whispered. "And if you look closely enough, you can find lots more. Stories that only happen once in a lifetime."
A smile spread slowly across the boy's face. "Really?" he breathed.
"Oh yes," promised Mommy. "There's magic everywhere... even right under your feet."
He turned to stare at her curiously. "Under my feet?"
Her eyes sparkled mischievously. "Why don't you go see for yourself?"
The boy nodded eagerly and got to his feet. Together they made their way through the forest until they found themselves standing near a bubbling spring of clear water. A thick layer of moss blanketed the ground around it, making the tiny pool appear almost like a miniature pond. The air smelled fresh and clean, and everything seemed peaceful and quiet.
"Wow!" exclaimed the boy. "This looks great!" He bent forward, peering into the sparkling waters. His breath misted above the surface. Then he cupped his hands and dipped them beneath the liquid. The water felt cool against his skin.
His mom laughed and hugged him tightly. "That's wonderful!" she said happily. "But let's get back home now. We've still got some time left today."
"Okay," agreed the boy. He glanced up at his mother again. Something had caught his attention. He frowned slightly.
What could be wrong? wondered Mommy.
"Hey!" she suddenly heard him exclaim in surprise. "Look at that tree!"
Mommy followed where he was pointing. Sure enough, there was something odd about the trunk of that particular oak tree: It was leaning strangely.
"Is that an old branch or something?" asked Mommy.
No, thought the boy. It doesn't feel like wood at all.
"Come on!" urged Mommy. "Let's check it out."
Together they crossed over to the tree and examined it carefully. They couldn't figure out what was causing it to lean so far over.
"Maybe there's some animal nestling in there," suggested Mommy.
"Yeah," agreed the boy. He leaned closer and poked the rough bark with one finger.
"It feels sort of warm," he murmured.
"Hmm..." said Mommy skeptically. She knelt down beside him and ran her hand along the exposed roots of the tree. They were as soft and smooth as silk.
"It really does," she agreed.
"I wonder why that is," mused the boy.
"Well," said Mommy, "maybe we should take a look inside and see if there really is anything there. I'm sure there must be some explanation. Maybe the squirrels are in there and they're just too small to see from the outside. Come on," she added.
"Okay," said the boy.
They walked over to the base of the tree and looked up into its branches.
"How high do you think that thing is?" he asked nervously. He didn't want to climb any higher than necessary.
Mommy shrugged. "I don't know, honey. But it's big, right? Bigger than the other trees around here. And its branches are really strange, too. They twist all over the place. It's hard to tell how tall it is. It's probably taller than the tallest pine, but not quite as wide."
The boy shivered. "Do you think that's because of the way the wind blows through those twisted limbs?" he asked.
"Yes," replied Mommy. "And maybe that's also caused the tree itself to grow this way."
"Wow," breathed the boy.
He gazed up into the tangle of green leaves overhead, wondering how he would ever find his way out. The sun was beginning to sink lower in the sky; soon, it would be dark.
"Don't worry, sweetheart," whispered Mommy. "We'll make it home okay."
The boy smiled, relieved.
"Where did you learn so much about nature?" he asked his mom.
"Oh, lots of places," answered his mom. "All kinds of books. All kinds of people who taught me things, too. There's a lot more to the world than you can see, if you look closely enough. You have to keep your eyes open, my son. That's where all the magic happens... under our feet, around us, everywhere!"
Her voice grew softer, almost dreamy. "You'll understand someday."
"I hope so."
She squeezed his hand. "Now let's go home."
"Okay."
Together they made their way back through the forest until they reached the clearing at the edge of the woods. The boy's house stood quietly on the hillside above them, bathed in sunlight. He felt his heart racing excitedly at the sight of it.
"There she is!" he cried happily. "Home at last!"
His mother smiled at him. "That's right, dear. Now let's get inside and start dinner."
Mommy led the way up the path to the front door, and then opened it for her son.
"Hi!" called the boy. "It's good to be back!"
"Hello!" responded the old man in the rocking chair.
"Grandpa!" exclaimed the boy. He ran over and gave Grandpa a hug.
"Ahhh!" sighed the old man contentedly. "My grandson! My beautiful, wonderful grandson!" He hugged him tightly.
Mommy came out from behind the counter and joined in.
"It's great to be together again," she said happily.
"Yeah, it is," agreed the boy with a grin.
They sat down and began talking about what had happened while they were away.
"So," said the boy's grandfather, "did you enjoy yourself?"
"Uh-huh," replied the boy. "It was really fun."
"I'm glad to hear that. So, did you see any animals?"
"Lots of 'em," said the boy with a smile. "I saw a bird in one tree and a squirrel in another. And I found a huge spider web in the middle of the woods. It was really big."
"Hmm," mused his grandpa. "Well, that sounds like quite an adventure."
"Yes, it was," agreed the boy.
"And did you see any strange trees?" asked the old man.
"What kind of tree?" asked the boy.
"Any trees that were twisted or bent, I mean. Any trees that looked strange, unusual, maybe even magical. Anything you might call weird. Trees that weren't ordinary trees."
The boy thought carefully before answering.
"Um..." he ventured. "Actually, yes."
The boy's grandpa's eyes lit up.
"Really?" he asked eagerly. "Did you find anything interesting?"
The boy nodded. "Yes," he replied slowly, "a tree that wasn't quite right."
"Oh?"
The boy explained how he'd seen the strange tree at the edge of the woods when they left.
"Wow," breathed his grandpa in amazement.
He listened intently as his grandson told him about his trip into the forest, and about how he'd discovered the twisted, misshapen tree.
"It was just sitting there," he concluded. "Its branches all tangled up, and its trunk curving around itself."
"Hmmm. Fascinating," replied his grandpa. "Now tell me, my boy—what do you think of this?"
He held out his hand. In it he was holding a small, flat stone.
"It's a rock," the boy answered. "A pretty greenish brown color. What's so special about it?"
"Do you see how the sides are different colors? How some parts seem lighter than others?"
"Yeah."
His grandpa took the rock from his hand. "This is called a geode. Geodes can come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. They're formed deep underground where the pressure of the earth forces minerals together. As they grow larger, these minerals push against each other, making the rocks harder. That's why they look so hard."
"So what's inside it?"
"Nothing but air," replied his grandpa. "Geodes don't have to be made up of solid material. Sometimes, though, the minerals inside them form crystals. When that happens, the light shines through the crystal and makes the inside appear to glow."
"Cool!" exclaimed the boy.
His grandpa smiled at him. "That's the best way I know to describe the feeling," he said.
"Thanks, Grandpa!"
They spent the rest of the afternoon together. The old man showed the boy how to make a paper airplane out of a sheet of newspaper. He taught the boy how to play a game with a deck of cards. Then they went outside and played catch in the front yard until it got dark. Finally they sat down together to eat dinner.
Afterward the boy's mother cleared away their plates and set out a puzzle on the kitchen table. She turned to her son. "Can you help your grandpa with the puzzles tonight?" she asked him. "I'm going to go clean the house."
"Sure," replied the boy. He and his grandfather began working together to solve the jigsaw puzzle.
They worked quietly for a while, then suddenly the boy's grandpa stopped and looked up at his grandson.
"What is it, Grandpa?" asked the boy.
The old man was smiling. "I've been thinking," he said.
"About what?" asked the boy.
"Well," the old man hesitated, "about you."
"Me?"
"Yes. You see, I'm very proud of you. I love everything about you, from the top of your head to the tips of your toes."
"Really?" asked the boy excitedly.
"Yes," said his grandpa. "You're smart and funny. And you're kind and gentle. I think you're wonderful."
"Thank you," replied the boy shyly.
The old man reached over and patted his grandson's shoulder.
"And I like you because... well..."
"Well what?" asked the boy.
"Because you're my grandson," he replied simply.
"Really?"
"Yes," nodded his grandpa.
"Wow. Thanks."
"No problem," he replied.
"Did you finish that puzzle?" his mom inquired as they entered the living room.
"Yes," answered the boy proudly.
"Good," she replied. "Then I'll take care of the dishes. You two can watch TV."
"Okay," agreed the boy.
He and his grandpa settled onto the couch and watched television. A few minutes later the boy's mom came back into the room carrying a tray of cookies.
"Here you are," she told the boy as he took one. "Have another."
"Thanks," replied the boy happily.
"Would you like some milk?"
"Uh-huh."
"All right. Here's some."
She handed the glass of cold, sweetened milk to the boy.
"Mmm!" he sighed, taking a long drink.
His grandpa laughed. "That's good, isn't it?"
"Yeah." The boy took another sip. "It's really yummy."
"Yum." His grandpa grinned.
The boy finished off his second cookie. Then his grandpa stood up.
"Want to play checkers?" he asked.
"Sure."
His grandpa led him to the dining room table where the game pieces were already waiting. They played several games before it was time to go to bed. The boy's grandfather kissed him good night and went upstairs to read.
The boy lay awake in his bedroom for a while. He thought about all that he'd learned today. About geodes and how they make rocks hard. And how his grandpa liked him so much. He felt happy and satisfied.
Finally he drifted to sleep.
I hit "Retry" on this one a few more times than I did on the last one, in this case if the AI made a non sequitur response or otherwise tried to take the story in a weirder or creepier or darker direction (e.g. at one point towards the end, it tried to kill off the grandfather, and though that certainly could have been an interesting, if sad twist, if I'd let it stand, I just wasn't feeling that at all). But other than that, I made no actual edits to it myself.
Honestly, while you can definitely "play" NovelAI like a "game" the same way you can with AI Dungeon, I kind of like just letting the AI go (within reason) and seeing what it comes up with. It seems to be better at that than AI Dungeon is. (For one thing, again, NovelAI doesn't try to randomly turn a story into porn out of nowhere. *eye roll* Or at least it hasn't yet.)
The little boy was sitting with his mother in the park. The boy had been crying, but he'd stopped when she told him to stop. Now he sat quietly and watched a pair of squirrels play tag on top of an old oak tree trunk that stood at the edge of their small patch of grass.
"Do you like it?" asked Mommy. "This is where I used to come as a child." She pointed toward a bench by the lake across from them. "I would sit there and read books while my father took me fishing or we just walked along the shoreline. Sometimes we went swimming together." Her voice caught in her throat for a moment before continuing. "It's nice here," she said softly.
"Yes!" agreed the boy. He smiled up at her.
Mommy looked down at him fondly. "You know what else is really cool about this place? It has some very special trees that are all different kinds. You see those over there?" She indicated two large oaks standing side-by-side. One was tall and straight and covered with green leaves; the other one was much smaller and twisted around its base. They were both beautiful.
"Those are called white oaks," explained Mommy. "They're native to these parts. There's another kind of tree nearby—a redwood. That's not native to our area, though. It came all the way from California. And then there's a mountain ash, which is also foreign to us. But they're all so interesting! So many people have studied them because of how unusual they are."
She reached out and touched her son's head gently. "These woods are full of stories, sweetheart," she whispered. "And if you look closely enough, you can find lots more. Stories that only happen once in a lifetime."
A smile spread slowly across the boy's face. "Really?" he breathed.
"Oh yes," promised Mommy. "There's magic everywhere... even right under your feet."
He turned to stare at her curiously. "Under my feet?"
Her eyes sparkled mischievously. "Why don't you go see for yourself?"
The boy nodded eagerly and got to his feet. Together they made their way through the forest until they found themselves standing near a bubbling spring of clear water. A thick layer of moss blanketed the ground around it, making the tiny pool appear almost like a miniature pond. The air smelled fresh and clean, and everything seemed peaceful and quiet.
"Wow!" exclaimed the boy. "This looks great!" He bent forward, peering into the sparkling waters. His breath misted above the surface. Then he cupped his hands and dipped them beneath the liquid. The water felt cool against his skin.
His mom laughed and hugged him tightly. "That's wonderful!" she said happily. "But let's get back home now. We've still got some time left today."
"Okay," agreed the boy. He glanced up at his mother again. Something had caught his attention. He frowned slightly.
What could be wrong? wondered Mommy.
"Hey!" she suddenly heard him exclaim in surprise. "Look at that tree!"
Mommy followed where he was pointing. Sure enough, there was something odd about the trunk of that particular oak tree: It was leaning strangely.
"Is that an old branch or something?" asked Mommy.
No, thought the boy. It doesn't feel like wood at all.
"Come on!" urged Mommy. "Let's check it out."
Together they crossed over to the tree and examined it carefully. They couldn't figure out what was causing it to lean so far over.
"Maybe there's some animal nestling in there," suggested Mommy.
"Yeah," agreed the boy. He leaned closer and poked the rough bark with one finger.
"It feels sort of warm," he murmured.
"Hmm..." said Mommy skeptically. She knelt down beside him and ran her hand along the exposed roots of the tree. They were as soft and smooth as silk.
"It really does," she agreed.
"I wonder why that is," mused the boy.
"Well," said Mommy, "maybe we should take a look inside and see if there really is anything there. I'm sure there must be some explanation. Maybe the squirrels are in there and they're just too small to see from the outside. Come on," she added.
"Okay," said the boy.
They walked over to the base of the tree and looked up into its branches.
"How high do you think that thing is?" he asked nervously. He didn't want to climb any higher than necessary.
Mommy shrugged. "I don't know, honey. But it's big, right? Bigger than the other trees around here. And its branches are really strange, too. They twist all over the place. It's hard to tell how tall it is. It's probably taller than the tallest pine, but not quite as wide."
The boy shivered. "Do you think that's because of the way the wind blows through those twisted limbs?" he asked.
"Yes," replied Mommy. "And maybe that's also caused the tree itself to grow this way."
"Wow," breathed the boy.
He gazed up into the tangle of green leaves overhead, wondering how he would ever find his way out. The sun was beginning to sink lower in the sky; soon, it would be dark.
"Don't worry, sweetheart," whispered Mommy. "We'll make it home okay."
The boy smiled, relieved.
"Where did you learn so much about nature?" he asked his mom.
"Oh, lots of places," answered his mom. "All kinds of books. All kinds of people who taught me things, too. There's a lot more to the world than you can see, if you look closely enough. You have to keep your eyes open, my son. That's where all the magic happens... under our feet, around us, everywhere!"
Her voice grew softer, almost dreamy. "You'll understand someday."
"I hope so."
She squeezed his hand. "Now let's go home."
"Okay."
Together they made their way back through the forest until they reached the clearing at the edge of the woods. The boy's house stood quietly on the hillside above them, bathed in sunlight. He felt his heart racing excitedly at the sight of it.
"There she is!" he cried happily. "Home at last!"
His mother smiled at him. "That's right, dear. Now let's get inside and start dinner."
Mommy led the way up the path to the front door, and then opened it for her son.
"Hi!" called the boy. "It's good to be back!"
"Hello!" responded the old man in the rocking chair.
"Grandpa!" exclaimed the boy. He ran over and gave Grandpa a hug.
"Ahhh!" sighed the old man contentedly. "My grandson! My beautiful, wonderful grandson!" He hugged him tightly.
Mommy came out from behind the counter and joined in.
"It's great to be together again," she said happily.
"Yeah, it is," agreed the boy with a grin.
They sat down and began talking about what had happened while they were away.
"So," said the boy's grandfather, "did you enjoy yourself?"
"Uh-huh," replied the boy. "It was really fun."
"I'm glad to hear that. So, did you see any animals?"
"Lots of 'em," said the boy with a smile. "I saw a bird in one tree and a squirrel in another. And I found a huge spider web in the middle of the woods. It was really big."
"Hmm," mused his grandpa. "Well, that sounds like quite an adventure."
"Yes, it was," agreed the boy.
"And did you see any strange trees?" asked the old man.
"What kind of tree?" asked the boy.
"Any trees that were twisted or bent, I mean. Any trees that looked strange, unusual, maybe even magical. Anything you might call weird. Trees that weren't ordinary trees."
The boy thought carefully before answering.
"Um..." he ventured. "Actually, yes."
The boy's grandpa's eyes lit up.
"Really?" he asked eagerly. "Did you find anything interesting?"
The boy nodded. "Yes," he replied slowly, "a tree that wasn't quite right."
"Oh?"
The boy explained how he'd seen the strange tree at the edge of the woods when they left.
"Wow," breathed his grandpa in amazement.
He listened intently as his grandson told him about his trip into the forest, and about how he'd discovered the twisted, misshapen tree.
"It was just sitting there," he concluded. "Its branches all tangled up, and its trunk curving around itself."
"Hmmm. Fascinating," replied his grandpa. "Now tell me, my boy—what do you think of this?"
He held out his hand. In it he was holding a small, flat stone.
"It's a rock," the boy answered. "A pretty greenish brown color. What's so special about it?"
"Do you see how the sides are different colors? How some parts seem lighter than others?"
"Yeah."
His grandpa took the rock from his hand. "This is called a geode. Geodes can come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. They're formed deep underground where the pressure of the earth forces minerals together. As they grow larger, these minerals push against each other, making the rocks harder. That's why they look so hard."
"So what's inside it?"
"Nothing but air," replied his grandpa. "Geodes don't have to be made up of solid material. Sometimes, though, the minerals inside them form crystals. When that happens, the light shines through the crystal and makes the inside appear to glow."
"Cool!" exclaimed the boy.
His grandpa smiled at him. "That's the best way I know to describe the feeling," he said.
"Thanks, Grandpa!"
They spent the rest of the afternoon together. The old man showed the boy how to make a paper airplane out of a sheet of newspaper. He taught the boy how to play a game with a deck of cards. Then they went outside and played catch in the front yard until it got dark. Finally they sat down together to eat dinner.
Afterward the boy's mother cleared away their plates and set out a puzzle on the kitchen table. She turned to her son. "Can you help your grandpa with the puzzles tonight?" she asked him. "I'm going to go clean the house."
"Sure," replied the boy. He and his grandfather began working together to solve the jigsaw puzzle.
They worked quietly for a while, then suddenly the boy's grandpa stopped and looked up at his grandson.
"What is it, Grandpa?" asked the boy.
The old man was smiling. "I've been thinking," he said.
"About what?" asked the boy.
"Well," the old man hesitated, "about you."
"Me?"
"Yes. You see, I'm very proud of you. I love everything about you, from the top of your head to the tips of your toes."
"Really?" asked the boy excitedly.
"Yes," said his grandpa. "You're smart and funny. And you're kind and gentle. I think you're wonderful."
"Thank you," replied the boy shyly.
The old man reached over and patted his grandson's shoulder.
"And I like you because... well..."
"Well what?" asked the boy.
"Because you're my grandson," he replied simply.
"Really?"
"Yes," nodded his grandpa.
"Wow. Thanks."
"No problem," he replied.
"Did you finish that puzzle?" his mom inquired as they entered the living room.
"Yes," answered the boy proudly.
"Good," she replied. "Then I'll take care of the dishes. You two can watch TV."
"Okay," agreed the boy.
He and his grandpa settled onto the couch and watched television. A few minutes later the boy's mom came back into the room carrying a tray of cookies.
"Here you are," she told the boy as he took one. "Have another."
"Thanks," replied the boy happily.
"Would you like some milk?"
"Uh-huh."
"All right. Here's some."
She handed the glass of cold, sweetened milk to the boy.
"Mmm!" he sighed, taking a long drink.
His grandpa laughed. "That's good, isn't it?"
"Yeah." The boy took another sip. "It's really yummy."
"Yum." His grandpa grinned.
The boy finished off his second cookie. Then his grandpa stood up.
"Want to play checkers?" he asked.
"Sure."
His grandpa led him to the dining room table where the game pieces were already waiting. They played several games before it was time to go to bed. The boy's grandfather kissed him good night and went upstairs to read.
The boy lay awake in his bedroom for a while. He thought about all that he'd learned today. About geodes and how they make rocks hard. And how his grandpa liked him so much. He felt happy and satisfied.
Finally he drifted to sleep.