Tag Archives: flash fiction

April 2, 2014

Demon in the Light – Friday Fictioneers

I’m a bit weird when it comes to Friday Fictioneers. I look at the picture, try to find the most likely story, then do something completely different. To me, this picture has the look of fantasy, so I avoided that. That’s just me though; I look forward to seeing what everyone else comes up with.

Demon in the Light

“The book’s published.”

With those words, everything I had worked for started slipping away.

“Why do you think Walt did it?” I asked. “Why did he ruin his legacy and put our whole organization in jeopardy?”

“I guess he wanted a clear conscience.”

“But at what expense?”

Demon in the Light was a bestseller. The autobiography of Walt Brody, the founder of Asian Mercy, meticulously detailed his life of secret crime.

Now our donations are in freefall and I’m desperately trying to convince people to keep giving, for the children. And I keep wishing Walt had kept his veneer intact.

50 Comments | tags: autobiography, charity, confession, crime, fiction, flash fiction, Friday Fictioneers, organization, secret | posted in Friday Fictioneers

March 31, 2014

My Father is Dying in the Desert

By David Stewart

My Father is Dying in the Desert

The Stone Emperor was dying. It was just the two of us now, wandering across the burning expanse of desert, towards the far-off dream of the ocean. I staggered along in his shadow as he towered over me. The sand trembled as he walked—one step for every fifty of my own.

“I must stop.” He sank down slowly onto the sand. More rocky scales fell from his skin; more of his molten blood oozed out.

“We are almost to the ocean, Father!” I shouted up to him. Ever since he had adopted me when I was little, I had ridden on his high, craggy shoulder, but not now. Now he literally glowed as his life’s magma seeped out through a thousand cracks. Humans could not know the diseases that afflicted a rock giant.

“This is the end,” he rumbled. “You have been a good son, more faithful than any of my own strata. Stay with me, until the end.”

The sun went down slowly and although the air was cold, the escaping life of my father kept me warm.

“God in heaven,” I prayed. “Keep him alive until we reach the ocean.”

During the night, I awoke to rain falling, hissing and spitting as it cooled and healed the Stone Emperor’s skin, sealing in his heat. God had not brought us to the ocean; he had brought the ocean to us in the desert.

9 Comments | tags: Alastair's Photo Fiction, desert, disease, fantasy, father, fiction, flash fiction, giant, God, healing | posted in Dusk

March 25, 2014

Nobbly Chopsticks – Friday Fictioneers

By David Stewart

There is a certain creative freedom when it comes to writing. I am aware that the word “nobbly” is not strictly a word. However, when I saw this picture, the words “nobbly chopsticks” came into my head, with that spelling too. The word means something that is bent or horribly contorted, as you will see.

Nobbly Chopsticks

“Nobbly chopsticks are a way of life!” the teacher shouted. The students were seated in the cafeteria, each with a pair of chopsticks as straight as a question mark after an earthquake. “You make the most of what you’ve been given. If Life gives you one leg, you make do! If Life gives you nobbly chopsticks . . . ?”

“You make do,” the students echoed. They started eating, or attempted to. Only one in five could even grasp the noodles at all.

The teacher spied one boy holding the bowl, slurping the broth. “Hey you! What are you doing?”

“Life gave me hands . . .”

88 Comments | tags: chopsticks, common sense, fiction, flash fiction, Friday Fictioneers, funny, nobbly, noodles, school, teacher | posted in Friday Fictioneers

March 23, 2014

Fog Tweets

By David Stewart

Fog Tweets

19 Comments | tags: Alastair's Photo Fiction, creepy, fear, fiction, flash fiction, fog, forest, ghosts, horror, Twitter | posted in Dark

March 23, 2014

100 Nightmares by K.Z. Morano – Cover Reveal!

By David Stewart

I don’t know if you’ve heard of K.Z. yet, but she is the queen of the short fiction horror genre (and yes, such a thing exists, because she’s the queen). I’ve known K.Z. for over a year since we are both faithful Friday Fictioneers and I’ve probably read every story she’s posted there in that time. I look forward to reading hers every week, since they’re always amazing.

She has a new book out, coming in April, although the exact date is not announced yet.

100 NIGHTMARES by K.Z. Morano is a collection of horror stories written in exactly 100 words and accompanied by a few illustrations.

It takes a brief encounter with death to cause enduring nightmares.

A single well-placed blow could maim you for life…

One well-placed word could haunt you forever.

Microfiction is a blade—sharp, swift…

Sometimes it goes for the jugular, killing you in seconds.

Its silver tongue touches your throat and warm blood hisses before you could scream.

Sometimes, the knife makes micro-cuts on the sensitive sheath of your sanity, creating wounds that would fester throughout eternity.

Take my 100 words like prescription… a slow-acting poison.

Or read them all and die of overdose.

Your call.

It’s your suicide after all.

Here’s the cover. Pretty scary, eh? If horror’s not your thing, then it’s probably best not buy this, but if you like it, definitely get K.Z.’s book when it comes out.

The Author

K.Z. Morano is an eclectic eccentric… a writer, a beach bum and a chocolate addict who writes anything from romance and erotica to horror, fantasy, sci-fi and bizarro fiction. Over the past few months, her stories have appeared in various anthologies, magazines and online venues. Visit her at http://theeclecticeccentricshopaholic.wordpress.com/ where she posts short fiction and photographs weekly.

For more updates on the story collection like K.Z.’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/100Nightmares

3 Comments | tags: book, cover, ebook, flash fiction, horror, K.Z. Morano | posted in Uncategorized

March 19, 2014

My Secret Wife – Friday Fictioneers

By David Stewart

My Secret Wife

“We had a report of some missing Genetico property here.”

“Sorry, it’s just my wife and I.”

“Ah, your . . . wife. How did you meet?”

“eHarmony.com.”

eHarmony, ha! I found her terrified in an elevator shaft. I fed her, taught her to speak, ignored the corporate barcode tattoo on her arm. We may have no marriage license, but the bands that connect us are stronger than gold.

“Is it okay if I look around?”

“Of course not,” I say. “This is my house.”

The door shuts and I see dark, fearful eyes peering from behind the couch.

“It’s safe,” I say.

82 Comments | tags: fiction, flash fiction, Friday Fictioneers, Genetico, genetics, science fiction, secret, wife | posted in Friday Fictioneers

March 16, 2014

Bureaucracy…in Space

By David Stewart

This is a piece for the Sunday Photo Fiction challenge. (The title is a take-off of Pigs in Space. If you don’t know what that is, click here.)

Bureaucracy…in Space

Bruce pulled himself to the bathroom and squeezed out a few painful, amber drops. The purifiers banged and vibrated and he waited with swollen throat for that tiny cupful of pure water to emerge. He was still twenty-two days away from Earth, far too long to survive like this.

There was a blip on his radar—another ship in range. With trembling hands, he hailed them.

“This is Scout eagle 45AZ. What type of ship are you?” he asked.

“Scout eagle 45AZ, this is Transport 50TS.”

“TS? You’re a terraforming ship? What are you carrying?”

“Water,” came the reply.

“50TS, I need water,” Bruce called. “My tank sprung a leak and I’ve been venting water. I just need a few gallons to get me back to Earth.”

There was a pause. “I’m sorry 45AZ, but our tanks are all sealed. We need permission to open them.”

“Then get it!” Bruce shouted. “I’m dying here.” His voice cracked and he started coughing.

Several minutes passed before there was a reply. “45AZ, I’ve obtained conditional permission. I’m sending you the order now.”

A message flashed on Bruce’s screen.

FROM HIGH COMMAND:

Permission for water tanks to be opened is granted, contingent on the applicant appearing before a tribunal on Earth in two days time to explain the necessity. Thank you for your cooperation.

13 Comments | tags: Alastair's Photo Fiction, bureaucracy, fiction, flash fiction, science fiction, space, space travel, thirst, water | posted in Light

March 12, 2014

Viruses Anonymous – Friday Fictioneers

By David Stewart

Viruses Anonymous

The meeting was held in a backroom server.

“Hi, I’m ILOVEYOU.”

“Hi ILOVEYOU!”

“I’m a virus. It’s been 10,036,651 seconds since I’ve infected a computer. I looked in the mirror one day and realized: I’m a worm. Nobody likes me. My whole life is a lie, even my name.”

“You can mutate,” Code Red said. “You can still become a good .exe.”

ILOVEYOU nodded. “I’m trying to make amends. Now I steal private information from gangsters and send it to the Red Cross. It’s just so hard.”

Code Red gave him a hug. “It’s a long trail to walk, man.”

63 Comments | tags: AA, anonymous, computers, fiction, flash fiction, Friday Fictioneers, funny, quirky, support group, virus | posted in Friday Fictioneers

March 9, 2014

Narcissus’ Soul

By David Stewart

Narcissus’ Soul

I looked down into the pool and saw myself looking back. I stared, astonished, as that other self waved at me and then walked away. He climbed the trees and read quietly by the edge of the water.

I turned away and when I looked back, I was looking back at myself. Again though, that other me vanished and soon I saw the trees in the reflection ablaze. Then the other me appeared, holding a bloody sword, and sneered at me with wicked contempt. I jerked my eyes away.

The next time I looked, I watched my reflection build a castle of crystal and alabaster around the pool, its spires soaring up to Heaven. I could not tear away and watched as that other me built an empire of perfection greater than any human accomplishment. The majesty of it brought tears to my eyes.

I felt my strength fading but I could not look away and my final thought, before darkness overcame me, was how beautiful were the works of that other self, and how wonderful, how marvelous, my potential was.

19 Comments | tags: Alastair's Photo Fiction, death, dream, fiction, flash fiction, Narcissus, potential, vision | posted in Dusk

March 5, 2014

Rapacious – Friday Fictioneers

By David Stewart

This is a hard week for me and I found this picture rather hard to turn into a good story. While pondering various story lines, I was musing over the idea of flash fiction. Rochelle, in her rules for the Fictioneers, always says that the challenge is to “Write a one hundred word story that has a beginning, middle and end.” I’ve been religious with the 100-word rule but I’m sure I’ve broken the beginning-middle-end rule quite a few times, although I try. What I also try to do is: 1) make sure there is some conflict and 2) make sure the characters want something. Without these, especially conflict, it’s not a story, it’s only a scene. Of course, Rochelle makes sure to point out that no one is ostracized for breaking the 100-word and she is very forgiving with other rule bends too. And now, on with the story…

Rapacious

The Mountain is killing me. I feel the life leaching from me into the pitiless walls. The Mountain claims all: innocence, youth, health, time. The walls are fat with my wasted years.

I knew it would take my life, but I vowed it would never take ME. I feel it, though, clawing at my soul. The ME is slipping away, no matter how much I clutch it.

When they bury me, write no name on the headstone, for what they bury is not me, but merely the husk of what the Mountain has devoured.

(found scratched into a prison wall)