"Lost in Translation: A Zombie Apocalypse Tale"
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The year was 2020, the Silent Year, as many later called it. Not just for the masks that muffled speech but for the unimaginable horror that came with the zombie pandemic. The air of uncertainty was thick, the dread palpable. It was in this apocalyptic landscape that young Ben, age seven, found himself clinging to his mom’s hand as they navigated the treacherous aisles of a grocery store. The situation was dire, and every decision was made with caution and haste.
Ben's mom, Alice, a 35-year-old of average height at 5'6" and weighing 136 pounds, with chestnut brown hair styled in a shoulder-length layered cut and striking green eyes, was trying to keep a brave face. Born on October 15th, 1984, Alice was in a plain blue t-shirt with black jeans, practical for the grim reality they were facing. Her shoe size was modest, a size 6.5, something Ben had commented on earlier.
“Mommy,” Ben had piped up, his innocent voice drawing her attention, “How come yer feet er so teeny for a growned up? Wiwl my feet be this tiny when I grow up?” His words, adorably jumbled, made her laugh despite the circumstances.
“No, sweetheart,” Alice chuckled, pushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “Since you’re a boy and not a girl, your feet should grow very big. Maybe you’ll have size 10 or 11 feet when you’re older.” She took a calming breath, hoping to reassure him.
They were warily grabbing food and supplies, hurriedly dumping boxes of cereal, canned goods, and bottled water into their cart when the front door burst open. Zombies, their groans echoing in the otherwise silent store, began pouring in. Alice's heart lurched. “Run, Ben! Don’t let go of my hand!” she shouted, pulling him behind her as they fled.
As they barreled down the aisles, five Korean women suddenly appeared around the corner. Each woman wore a unique yet practical outfit—a mixture of blouses and skirts in various pastel shades.
Ms. Cho, the oldest, born June 28, 1958, was a petite lady standing at 5'2". She wore a white blouse with delicate lace trim and a floral knee-length skirt, her platform sandals a sunny yellow. Her weight was about 110 pounds, with short, wavy gray hair and warm brown eyes. Ms. Cho’s shoe size was a mere 4.5.
The two related women were sisters Ms. Park, 50, and Ms. Kim, 48, born July 9, 1970 and August 22, 1972, respectively. Ms. Park, at 5'4 and heavier set at 145 pounds, donned a pale pink silk blouse and baby blue skirt. Her short hair was dyed a vibrant auburn, and her shoe size was a perfect 5.5, adorned in beige platform sandals. Ms. Kim, a touch lighter at 130 pounds, sported a lavender blouse and matching skirt, her chocolate brown bobbed hair bouncing with each step. She wore green platform shoes in a size 5.
Ms. Lee, 46, born on March 3, 1974, was the shortest at 4'11”. Slim at 95 pounds, she had raven black hair styled in a chic pixie cut and eyes the color of onyx. Her stylish light blue blouse and white skirt paired with white platform sandals, size 5, highlighted her petite frame.
Lastly, Ms. Jin, 45, born April 12, 1975, wore a charming blouse in soft peach and a mint green skirt. Standing at 5'3” and weighing 124 pounds, her platinum blonde hair styled in a sleek bob made her stand out. Her silver platform sandals, size 5, completed her ensemble.
All five women had their nails painted in complementary shades, from soft pinks to deep reds.
One of the women, Ms. Kim, noticed Ben and something seemed to click. She reached out, speaking softly in Korean, “아이야, 이리와 (Child, come here).” Ben stepped back, eyeing her warily, but she was quicker, and soon he was enveloped in her grasp. Dizzy and disoriented, Ben’s vision blurred, and everything went black.
---
When Ben regained consciousness, he realized something was horribly, terrifyingly different. He looked down, only to see the soft peach blouse and mint green skirt Ms. Jin had on earlier. He felt taller yet distinctly... womanly. The situation hit him like a slap to the face. Ben examined his reflection in a nearby mirror, tracing the almond-shaped eyes with delicate, manicured hands. His attempts to change his eyes back to his normal wide-eyed look were futile.
“I wamt to go home, I want mommy!” he shouted, though his voice now high-pitched, with his words coming out in broken English, “I want to go home, I want mommy!”
Despite his panic, the platform sandals made running almost impossible. Bj stumbled, tripping over the awkward footwear more times than he could count. He focused on keeping a steady pace, trying to avoid the zombies that haunted the area. Eventually, he made it far enough to catch his breath.
Ben stared at his petite, polished toes and whimpered, “I gonna have gurl feet an' tawlk like funny laydy now foreva…” His expression of horror at his predicament—spoken in broken English that betrayed his seven-year-old innocence.
He tried to remove the peach blouse and green skirt multiple times without success. First, he attempted to pull the blouse over his head but found the neckline too tight. Then, he tugged at the skirt waistband but it refused to budge. Each method—unbuttoning, unzipping, twisting, and even tearing—proved fruitless.
Next, Ben tried to kick off the platform sandals. He yanked, twisted, and even attempted to pry them off with a metal rod he found. No matter what he did, they remained firmly on his feet, much like the jewelry adorning his body.
Each piece of Ms. Jin’s jewelry defied removal as well: a silver bracelet that stayed clasped despite his frenzied efforts, a delicate necklace that refused to unhook, earrings that wouldn't detach, a ring snugly fit on one of his fingers, and a charming anklet. Each attempt left him more frustrated and hopeless.
He whispered, “Im skawed…” his voice cracking, “I'm scared…” the broken English expressing his childlike terror.
Suddenly, the four other Korean women found him. They grabbed his hands, his delicate, manicured fingers contrasting sharply with their firm grasp, and started guiding him somewhere. One of them, Ms. Park, spoke in Korean, “왜 혼자 멀리 떨어져 있었어?” (Why did you wander off alone?) The confusion on Ben's face was clear—he couldn’t understand a word.
Another woman, Ms. Cho, reminded him, “너 나이가 얼마나 있는지 알지? 가족이 기다리고 있어.” (Do you remember how old you are? Your family is waiting.) Their words meant nothing to Ben, but he picked up on the frustration in their tone.
Despite his best efforts to free himself and run, the platform sandals continued to hamper his movements. Finally, they dragged him out to the empty parking lot. Tears welled up in Ben’s eyes as he squeezed them shut, overwhelmed by terror and confusion. The zombies were momentarily out of sight, but his nightmare was far from over.
This story was generated by user manemansteve with assistance by one of OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model; prompts used to help generate the story are shown below.
Images were generated with OpenAI's AI system, DALL·E 2, or uploaded by the user.
AI Prompts
Prompt: A long and thorough and detailed story taking place in the year 2020 starring 7 year old Ben with a description of what he's wearing and his race being white and have him be shopping with his mom in the middle of a zombie pandemic. Include his mom's name, age, height, weight, birthday, birth year, hair color and style and eye color, and her shoe size mentioned. Have Ben make a comment about his mom's feet being small for a grown up and have it be in quoted text asking if his feet were gonna be that tiny when he grew up in an innocent voice and spell words wrong showing what he wanted to say versus what he said in his little kid voice. Have his mom laugh and say no and have it be in quoted text saying since he's a boy and not a girl his feet should grow very big and have her guess what size his feet will be when he's older. Have them be wearily grabbing food and supplies putting it in the cart when zombies started pouring in to the grocery store. Have his mom start running with him following close behind. Have 5 Korean women appear wearing blouses and skirts with detailed descriptions of the colors and types of blouses and skirts and have all be wearing platform sandals and platform shoes with detailed descriptions of the colors of the platform sandals and platform shoes and have all of them have painted nails and include the colors. Include all 5 Korean women's names, ages all being older than his mom, heights all being shorter than his mom, weights, birthdays, birth years all being older than his mom with one of the 5 women being much older than the other 4 women and two of the women being related to each other and how, hair colors and styles all being short Korean styles and where they were from in the US or if they were from South Korea and their shoe sizes. Have one of the women notice the boy saying something to him in Korean and reaching out to grab him and have him try to avoid her still being grabbed by the woman getting dizzy and have his vision go black. Reveal which woman grabbed him and include her information a second time including her name, age, birthday, birth year, height, weight, hair color and style and eye color and where she was from and her shoe size being much smaller than his moms and mention her blouse type and color being the same as it was earlier and her skirt type and color being the same as it was earlier and her platform sandals color and type being the same as it was earlier and the color of her nail polish being the same as it was earlier.. Have all of the women be salon stylists and include them all being salon stylists in the story and how long each of them had been one for. Have him open his eyes realizing he's taller and feels different looking down and noticing the blouse and knee length skirt he was now wearing being the same consistent color they were earlier in the story and his different skin tone and the platform sandals being the same they were earlier in the story and the polished nails being the same color they were earlier in the story and have him look for his mommy worriedly realizing she's now gone. Have him yell for mommy and have it be in quoted text unwillingly in broken English spelling words wrong and show the quote the way he wanted to say it versus how he said it. Have him try to run stumbling over the platform sandals he was now wearing and have the woman's outfit be very uncomfortable and have him trip over something hearing his female voice and have him gag at how girly it all was and have him squeeze his eyes shut. Have him do everything to pace himself trying to run away from the zombies and and have the platform sandals be hard to run in and have him consistently trip over the platform sandals eventually getting far enough away from the zombies. Have him innocently study his new reflection tracing his almond shaped eyes with his new hands and have him try to change his eyes back to the normal wide eyes noticing they look nothing like his mother's but give up on trying being specific as to what he did. Have him say i want to go home i want mommy and have it be in quoted text unwillingly speaking in broken English and saying some words wrong and show the quoted text how he wanted to say it versus how he said it. Have him start crying at the sound of his voice. Have him play with his short female hair and what he did with it noticing his polished nails on his female hands as he played with it but being unable to change it back to his boyish hair. Have him try to remove the blouse and skirt in different ways being unsuccessful and including each of the ways in the story with a detailed description. Have him try to remove the platform sandals being unable to trying in 5 different ways and including each of the 5 ways in the story but the platform sandals aren't glued to her feet they just won't come off. Have him notice his female feet actually look smaller than his mom's feet and have him say something and have it be in quoted text in very broken English about how he's gonna have girl feet and talk like the funny lady he now is for the rest of his life and show the quote he wanted to say it versus how he said it in very broken English. Have him try to remove the first piece of the woman's jewelry being detailed and specific but being unable to remove it and why he couldn't. Have him try to remove the second piece of the woman's jewelry being detailed and specific but being unable to remove it and why. Have him try to remove the third piece of the woman's jewelry being detailed and specific but being unable to remove it and why. Have him try to remove the fourth piece of the woman's jewelry being detailed and specific but being unable to remove it and why. Have him try to remove the fifth piece of the woman's jewelry being detailed and specific but being unable to remove it and why. Have him try to remove the sixth piece of the woman's jewelry being detailed and specific but being unable to remove it and why. Have him try to say I'm scared and have it be in quoted text unwillingly speaking in broken English spelling words wrong and show the quote how he wanted to say it versus how he said it and have him squeeze his eyes shut in fear. Have the woman's 4 other friends find her and grab her by the hands guiding her somewhere. Have one of the other woman criticize her for wandering off and mentioning how many years she had been a salon hair stylist and have it be in quoted text in Korean calling the boy by their friend's name who had grabbed him earlier and who he was in the body of. Have another one of the other women criticize her reminding her her age and of her family she had and have it be in quoted text in Korean mentioning how old she is specifically calling the boy by their friend's name who had grabbed him earlier and who he was in the body of. Have the boy in the woman's body hear the Korean women speaking to him thinking he's their friend unable to understand it at all. Have him struggle to run out in the platform sandals as the women drag him and have him make it out to the parking lot and have the parking lot be empty. Have him be terrified squeezing his eyes shut again.
Response: The year was 2020, the Silent Year, as many later called it. Not just for the masks that muffled speech but for the unimaginable horror that came with the zombie pandemic. The air of uncertainty was thick, the dread palpable. It was in this apocalyptic landscape that young Ben, age seven, found himself clinging to his mom’s hand as they navigated the treacherous aisles of a grocery store. The situation was dire, and every decision was made with caution and haste. Ben's mom, Alice, a 35-year-old of average height at 5'6" and weighing 136 pounds, with chestnut brown hair styled in a shoulder-length layered cut and striking green eyes, was trying to keep a brave face. Born on October 15th, 1984, Alice was in a plain blue t-shirt with black jeans, practical for the grim reality they were facing. Her shoe size was modest, a size 6.5, something Ben had commented on earlier. “Mommy,” Ben had piped up, his innocent voice drawing her attention, “How come yer feet er so teeny for a growned up? Wiwl my feet be this tiny when I grow up?” His words, adorably jumbled, made her laugh despite the circumstances. “No, sweetheart,” Alice chuckled, pushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “Since you’re a boy and not a girl, your feet should grow very big. Maybe you’ll have size 10 or 11 feet when you’re older.” She took a calming breath, hoping to reassure him. They were warily grabbing food and supplies, hurriedly dumping boxes of cereal, canned goods, and bottled water into their cart when the front door burst open. Zombies, their groans echoing in the otherwise silent store, began pouring in. Alice's heart lurched. “Run, Ben! Don’t let go of my hand!” she shouted, pulling him behind her as they fled. As they barreled down the aisles, five Korean women suddenly appeared around the corner. Each woman wore a unique yet practical outfit—a mixture of blouses and skirts in various pastel shades. Ms. Cho, the oldest, born June 28, 1958, was a petite lady standing at 5'2". She wore a white blouse with delicate lace trim and a floral knee-length skirt, her platform sandals a sunny yellow. Her weight was about 110 pounds, with short, wavy gray hair and warm brown eyes. Ms. Cho’s shoe size was a mere 4.5. The two related women were sisters Ms. Park, 50, and Ms. Kim, 48, born July 9, 1970 and August 22, 1972, respectively. Ms. Park, at 5'4 and heavier set at 145 pounds, donned a pale pink silk blouse and baby blue skirt. Her short hair was dyed a vibrant auburn, and her shoe size was a perfect 5.5, adorned in beige platform sandals. Ms. Kim, a touch lighter at 130 pounds, sported a lavender blouse and matching skirt, her chocolate brown bobbed hair bouncing with each step. She wore green platform shoes in a size 5. Ms. Lee, 46, born on March 3, 1974, was the shortest at 4'11”. Slim at 95 pounds, she had raven black hair styled in a chic pixie cut and eyes the color of onyx. Her stylish light blue blouse and white skirt paired with white platform sandals, size 5, highlighted her petite frame. Lastly, Ms. Jin, 45, born April 12, 1975, wore a charming blouse in soft peach and a mint green skirt. Standing at 5'3” and weighing 124 pounds, her platinum blonde hair styled in a sleek bob made her stand out. Her silver platform sandals, size 5, completed her ensemble. All five women had their nails painted in complementary shades, from soft pinks to deep reds. One of the women, Ms. Kim, noticed Ben and something seemed to click. She reached out, speaking softly in Korean, “아이야, 이리와 (Child, come here).” Ben stepped back, eyeing her warily, but she was quicker, and soon he was enveloped in her grasp. Dizzy and disoriented, Ben’s vision blurred, and everything went black. --- When Ben regained consciousness, he realized something was horribly, terrifyingly different. He looked down, only to see the soft peach blouse and mint green skirt Ms. Jin had on earlier. He felt taller yet distinctly... womanly. The situation hit him like a slap to the face. Ben examined his reflection in a nearby mirror, tracing the almond-shaped eyes with delicate, manicured hands. His attempts to change his eyes back to his normal wide-eyed look were futile. “I wamt to go home, I want mommy!” he shouted, though his voice now high-pitched, with his words coming out in broken English, “I want to go home, I want mommy!” Despite his panic, the platform sandals made running almost impossible. Bj stumbled, tripping over the awkward footwear more times than he could count. He focused on keeping a steady pace, trying to avoid the zombies that haunted the area. Eventually, he made it far enough to catch his breath. Ben stared at his petite, polished toes and whimpered, “I gonna have gurl feet an' tawlk like funny laydy now foreva…” His expression of horror at his predicament—spoken in broken English that betrayed his seven-year-old innocence. He tried to remove the peach blouse and green skirt multiple times without success. First, he attempted to pull the blouse over his head but found the neckline too tight. Then, he tugged at the skirt waistband but it refused to budge. Each method—unbuttoning, unzipping, twisting, and even tearing—proved fruitless. Next, Ben tried to kick off the platform sandals. He yanked, twisted, and even attempted to pry them off with a metal rod he found. No matter what he did, they remained firmly on his feet, much like the jewelry adorning his body. Each piece of Ms. Jin’s jewelry defied removal as well: a silver bracelet that stayed clasped despite his frenzied efforts, a delicate necklace that refused to unhook, earrings that wouldn't detach, a ring snugly fit on one of his fingers, and a charming anklet. Each attempt left him more frustrated and hopeless. He whispered, “Im skawed…” his voice cracking, “I'm scared…” the broken English expressing his childlike terror. Suddenly, the four other Korean women found him. They grabbed his hands, his delicate, manicured fingers contrasting sharply with their firm grasp, and started guiding him somewhere. One of them, Ms. Park, spoke in Korean, “왜 혼자 멀리 떨어져 있었어?” (Why did you wander off alone?) The confusion on Ben's face was clear—he couldn’t understand a word. Another woman, Ms. Cho, reminded him, “너 나이가 얼마나 있는지 알지? 가족이 기다리고 있어.” (Do you remember how old you are? Your family is waiting.) Their words meant nothing to Ben, but he picked up on the frustration in their tone. Despite his best efforts to free himself and run, the platform sandals continued to hamper his movements. Finally, they dragged him out to the empty parking lot. Tears welled up in Ben’s eyes as he squeezed them shut, overwhelmed by terror and confusion. The zombies were momentarily out of sight, but his nightmare was far from over.
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