Request for Critique

Well, I'll be honest when I say that I have no idea how this community is supposed to work. So, here is a foray into the unknown!

Below are three pieces of work I would love to get some constructive feedback on, with a bit of an andectode on each. I like to think I have thick skin, but let's put that to the test shall we?

A bit about me. I am a hobbyist writer who enjoys writing microfiction, fantasy, and sci-fi, with a lust for exploring new topics on Wikipedia. While I don't ever think I'll be able to quit my day job to be a writer full time, I fully believe that everyone needs a creative outlet, and the pursuit of excellence in one is worth a fortune in human experience. If you want to chat, I hang out in the Discord daily.

Without further ado...

Story One

This was the first story I posted on Vocal as a part of the fantasy prologue challenge. At this point, I had just returned to writing after about a decade and had been working on a massive fantasy epic set in this new world I created. As with most writers return WIP, I wrote one hundred thousand words, went back and reread the first page, said "this is shit", and put it on the shelf. While that work sits on the shelf, I felt the world had something to offer and set out on this piece for the challenge I discovered less than a week after finishing that first draft. Sometimes things work out! I obviously did not win said challenge, but I think there are some legs here, and this same world currently owns two of my Google Docs tabs I keep open every day. I would love to hear your thoughts on it as both a standalone piece, and as a larger worldbuilding exercise.

Story Two

My first attempt at publishing a standalone story. I modeled this entry to the campfire challenge off of an urban legend at my old Catholic high school. I've often heard comedy and horror are two sides of the same coin. I'm not funny, so I tried my hand at horror. I would love to hear some feedback on the completeness and any compelling elements of this piece.

Story Three

Finally, my submission to the Distraction challenge. If I had to pick, this is what I would put forward as my best piece of work on my Vocal profile. With that said, I know nothing about poetry besides what my old bandmate told me about lyrics, "if it sounds good, it's good."

I would love to hear some feedback from someone with some knowledge on that front!

Anywho, that's it. For those that hop in and give your feedback, you have my thanks! Like I said earlier, I hang out on Discord, and if you really want to tear into me, feel free to shoot me a DM. Without feedback, none of us improve.