Category Archives: Friday Fictioneers

October 15, 2014

The Numberless Clock Society

This week I tried Rochelle’s brand of historical fiction, as sort of a tribute to her excellent storytelling. Of course, being me, I couldn’t do it straight, so this is alternate universe historical fiction.

The Numberless Clock Society

The meetings of the Numberless Clock society were held in a lower room of a Glasgow pub.

“Imagine no clocks: no schedules or appointments to keep,” I, the leader, railed after a few pints. “Imagine banks, empty and powerless. We need to dump the gold coins into the ocean and extricate ourselves from the stranglehold of the invisible hand of commerce. That’s Locke’s true state of nature.”

Adam was in charge of figuring out how to take down the financial system. However, in time, he drifted away and eventually joined the enemy camp. He even stole my words, the traitor.

35 Comments | tags: Adam Smith, anarchist, fiction, flash fiction, Friday Fictioneers, historical, invisible hand, Locke, state of nature | posted in Friday Fictioneers

October 9, 2014

Beating Swords into Saxophones – Friday Fictioneers

By David Stewart

Beating Swords into Saxophones

The Earth was snoozing peacefully—the sunny Sunday afternoon of history—when the aliens came to prod through what remained of human civilization, oohing and ahhing in incomprehension over our ruined cities and quaintly antique technology.

They found our weapon caches delightful. The casing of a Minuteman made a pleasant booming when hit with the butt of an M-16 and .50 bullets strung up on trip wire cable laughed and sang as they tinkled together in the wind.

Then one poked at a landmine, with explosive results. “Save that for the concert,” the leader said. “That’ll be the grand finale.”

28 Comments | tags: aliens, fantasy, fiction, flash fiction, Friday Fictioneers, music, post apocalyptic, science fiction, weapons | posted in Friday Fictioneers

October 2, 2014

Indefinable Allure – Friday Fictioneers

By David Stewart

When I first saw this picture, my reaction was, like everyone else, “What is this?” Then I realized it was the perfect photo prompt because it could pretty much be anything. This story is rather meta, so I apologize to those who aren’t familiar with the other Friday Fictioneers writers. To the group, I can only say I wish I could have included everyone but, well, we only have so many words to work with.

copyright Kent Bonham, who really took the picture.

Indefinable Allure

Rochelle wandered disconsolately along the beach. The Friday Fictioneers movie had hit a snag: few directors were interested in a 100-word script.

Still, casting was going well. She’d convinced Russell and Perry to play the rebellious teenagers and Doug would do well as the shaman. Elephant had agreed to play the murderer—a little too quickly, she thought—but then again, an Elephant can’t refuse the role of a lifetime. Then there was KZ’s character…Rochelle shuddered.

She glimpsed something lying on the sand. It was grotesque, unidentifiable…perfect. The directors could wait. She now had the perfect movie poster.

32 Comments | tags: beach, casting, fiction, flash fiction, Friday Fictioneers, funny, movie, quirky, weird | posted in Friday Fictioneers

September 24, 2014

Code Red – Friday Fictioneers

By David Stewart

Code Red

When you build your civilization on the chin of a sleeping giant, certain precautions are essential. The citizens of Menton all remembered the Twitch of ’62 and the Slight Yawn of ’78. Now, there were rumblings far below that portended something greater, possibly even a belch.

“Upgrade to code red,” the security officer said. The soldiers carried the luminous signboard around Mouth Rift and propped it against the giant’s nose.

A moment later, gale force winds started rushing into the nostrils. Sneeze sirens blared.

“What did you do?” the officer yelled.

“Nothing! Just used a new paint called Cayenne Red.”

45 Comments | tags: code red, fantasy, fiction, flash fiction, Friday Fictioneers, funny, giant, sneeze | posted in Friday Fictioneers

September 17, 2014

Salt Flats Terror – Friday Fictioneers

By David Stewart

This is by far the longest Friday Fictioneers story I’ve ever written, although don’t worry: it’s still 100 words exactly. It’s experimental, as many of mine are. I think it’s pretty clear, but please ask if you don’t understand it.

Salt Flats Terror

47 Comments | tags: darkness, escape, fantasy, fiction, flash fiction, Friday Fictioneers, monster, salt | posted in Friday Fictioneers

September 10, 2014

Mirror Man – Friday Fictioneers

By David Stewart

Mirror Man

I spent eight months imprisoned in a bathroom. Food was pushed under the door.

Pancakes mostly; maybe some deli ham.

The only company I had was the man in the mirror. “Why? Why?” I screamed at him. He never answered, just childishly mimicked my every move.

Finally I really examined the door. It was locked from the inside.

That deepened my concerns.

Outside, I found a house with a woman living in it. Her wedding ring matched mine.

“Why?” I shouted at her.

“You made me,” she said, cringing.

No, not me. It was that damned man in the mirror.

42 Comments | tags: bathroom, creepy, fantasy, fiction, flash fiction, Friday Fictioneers, kidnapping, prisoner | posted in Friday Fictioneers

September 8, 2014

Memory Flames – Friday Fictioneers

By David Stewart

I can definitely say that this is the latest I’ve ever posted a Friday Fictioneers story. I’ve been the first one before, so now I guess I’m trying to be the last. I started a new job today as an ESL Instructor at a university in Iowa and also moved into a new place this weekend, so I’m hoping after this to finally settle down to a routine. This summer has been quite crazy in many ways. I apologize that I have not been able to read many stories in the last few months. I will try to be better about that from now on.

I would say that this story is weird, but that describes most of mine. I’d say it’s different, but . . . again. Read it and tell me what you think.

Memory Flames

When I first saw it, it terrified me. I had emerged from subterranean haunts far below and saw it dancing a hypnotic, alien gyration on the edge of my vision.

It was the Other and as much as it repelled me, I drew closer because of a ghost of a memory long ago. It reminded me of her, before we were sundered; before she ascended and I sunk down to personify the Underworld.

* * *

Frank came back from gathering wood and froze. A shadow, like an incorporeal old man was bending over his campfire, warming non-existent hands over its cheery flames.

21 Comments | tags: darkness, fantasy, fiction, fire, flash fiction, Friday Fictioneers, memory, shadow | posted in Friday Fictioneers

August 30, 2014

A Sticky Situation – Friday Fictioneers

By David Stewart

This story is much later than I usually post it, but it’s been a crazy week in a lot of respects. For one thing, I just got a new job, so I’ll be moving to Iowa very soon. Hopefully, soon thereafter things will finally get back to normal here at the Green-Walled Tower. I also have a bonus story today: my 6-year-old nephew Henry saw the picture and wrote a story for the picture. He has a great imagination.

A Sticky Situation

“. . . and that’s why I’m carrying two tons of powdered sugar, the burnt remains of 8000 Pikachu plushies, and assorted donkey organs across the desert at night.” My palms were sweaty as I finished my convoluted, yet totally accurate explanation.

The cop who had pulled me over stared at me and then his face slowly cracked into a smile. He began to laugh until tears were streaming down his face and he was pounding the side of my car.

“So . . . we’re all good?” I asked tentatively.

“Yeah, but you’ll still have to come to the station. They’ll never believe me otherwise.”

The Sticky Man

by Henry

There was a person who stepped on it, and then the sticky goo floated up into the air and the person floated up on it. Up, up, up.

And then it went down and smashed into pieces and then everything disappeared and turned into monsters, even the sticky goo turned into monsters. Then it turned back into earth, and then into monsters again.

Then it jumped way up and went into space and hit into Earth and broke into pieces and saw a castle and went in and there was a dragon inside, and it was a king dragon.

26 Comments | tags: fiction, flash fiction, Friday Fictioneers, funny, police, quirky, sticky | posted in Friday Fictioneers

August 20, 2014

Truck Reborn – Friday Fictioneers

By David Stewart

Truck Reborn

The state fair was abuzz with the news: a boy had grown a truck for his 4-H project.

“How did you do it?” the judge asked.

“I planted part of the chassis and watered it with motor oil, infused with Miracle-Gro,” the boy said dully. His was the only unexcited face in sight. “It doesn’t matter: it didn’t work.”

“What do you mean? This is a miracle! You took a wrecked truck and brought it back to life.”

“But I did it for my dad.”

“Ah,” the judge said. “Where is he?”

“He was in the truck when it wrecked.”