What does a story do while nobody's reading it?

[Ann13]

Odd little prompt, imagine what a story actually does in the gap between readings, sitting closed on a shelf or unopened in a file somewhere. Write a very short piece imagining that in between existence. Doesn't need to make logical sense, just have fun with it

Keep it brief, a paragraph or so is plenty. Post yours below whenever something comes to mind

[LegendaryOliver16]

The story waited patiently on the shelf, rehearsing its own lines quietly in case anyone finally opened it again. Characters practiced their entrances in the dark, unsure if they'd ever be needed. When the cover finally opened, they were, as always, exactly ready

[Hyperdrive71]

A forgotten manuscript in the drawer quietly kept its own time, unaware that years had passed outside its pages. When it was finally found again, it picked up exactly where it left off, patient as ever. Some stories apparently don't mind waiting at all

[LegendaryReuben47]

Between readings, the story simply rested, its ending neither happy nor sad yet, undecided until observed properly. The final page held its breath along with everyone in it. Only a reader's eyes could finally settle what actually happened

[ContextScholar]

Inside the closed book, the characters simply paused mid conversation, holding their exact positions like a photograph waiting to be developed. Nothing moved, nothing aged, nothing changed at all. The second the pages opened again, the sentence simply continued from wherever it left off

[MemoryAnchor]

An unread file sat quietly on the hard drive, its words neither true nor false yet, just waiting in a kind of patient limbo for eyes to finally arrive.

Somewhere inside, a character wondered idly if today was finally the day. It usually wasn't, but hope apparently doesn't need much to survive on