Tag Archives: Friday Fictioneers
**News Flash**
Check out the sneak preview of my newly published short story, “Giselle”. It is a time travel story about a belly dancer and the scientist who is pursuing her. You can download the full story here if you like what you read.
copyright Claire Fuller
The Poison Church
“Mommy, why are there spider webs up in the corners?”
“This church has been closed for years. People said it was poisoned because of all the lead in the roof and windows.”
“Is it dangerous?”
“No, it was just a scare. People overreacted. Don’t eat the shingles and you’ll be fine.”
“I see.” The little girl paused and looked around. “Then why are we all crowded in here now?”
“Remember all the stuff in the news today, all the flashing bulletins?”
“Breaking news,” the girl recited.
“And remember our other new word?”
“Melt…down.”
“Right. This place will keep us safe.”
43 Comments | tags: church, fiction, flash fiction, Friday Fictioneers, meltdown, radiation, sanctuary | posted in Dusk
copyright Roger Bultot
It Could’ve Been Worse
“It could’ve been worse,” I said.
Her eyes machine-gunned daggers at me. “Worse? I can’t walk around with a chipped fingernail.”
A bolt of lightning shot out of the blue sky, exploding the front-yard maple.
“My car!” she screamed, as we picked ourselves off the road. “It’s only six months old.”
“At least you weren’t in it. It could’ve been worse.”
More lightning bolts shot down, hitting nearby houses, and the sky darkened with the shapes of hundreds of alien craft.
“It could be—”
She punched me. It could have been worse; at least she went for the face.
46 Comments | tags: aliens, fiction, flash fiction, Friday Fictioneers, invasion, optimist, science fiction | posted in Light
copyright Renee Heath
Tecumseh’s Pariah
I haven’t returned to Tecumseh, Michigan since. That hydrant and its sour-sick memories still haunt me: the night 16-year-old me staggered home from partying and crossed the abandoned tracks.
The sudden rush of a steam engine. The scream of a whistle. Hot, sooty wind.
I cowered behind the hydrant—felt it suddenly twist and grasp at me with steely arms. All I could do was scream.
The police found me, jeans wet and hysterical. No one believed me. “Been drinking?” they asked.
I became “that kid”, the one who pissed himself over ghosts.
Sometimes all you can do is leave.
47 Comments | tags: creepy, fear, fiction, flash fiction, Friday Fictioneers, ghosts, Tecumseh, trains | posted in Dark
copyright Jennifer Pendergast
Old Rusty
Old Rusty went to heaven yesterday. A man couldn’t have asked for a better giant bee companion.
It wasn’t just his honey-making superpowers. That paid the bills, but he was also a real sweety—the way he liked getting scratched behind the wings and how he got all excited about the annual apiary box social.
I can see him now on one of his grizzly hunting trips. He wouldn’t kill ‘em; just play with them a while. Nobody could make a grizzly wet itself in terror as fast as Rusty.
Somehow, a dog just isn’t going to cut it anymore.
39 Comments | tags: bees, death, fiction, flash fiction, Friday Fictioneers, giant, mourning | posted in Light
copyright Douglas M. MacIlroy
Chute Malfunction
I fell like a wingless bird into a sea of sublime white.
Come into our embrace, the cottony pillows called to me. We will catch you. Come dance on our hills and valleys. They reached out to caress me, as gentle as a mother.
False saviors, every one. I plunged straight through and the green plains of my death spread out below me.
No fear.
Strange. The novelty of a soon and inexorable end washed it away.
Suddenly, my body was jerked upwards. I looked up at my expanding orange salvation, as gauzy and ethereal as the perfidious clouds beyond.
32 Comments | tags: accident, clouds, death, fiction, flash fiction, Friday Fictioneers, parachute, sky diving | posted in Dusk
copyright Anelephantcant
Moon Cycle
No one ever told me just how big space is. I mean, I can see the moon every night. It’s right there. So why is it so hard to reach?
I had an epiphany one night after I’d taken some mysterious pills I found on the road: why not make a bicycle-powered spaceship? It’d save on rocket fuel and once you’re in zero-gee, it’s like going downhill the whole way.
I made it through the atmosphere, but now I’ve been pedaling for a week and the moon doesn’t look any bigger. Maybe I should stick it in a higher gear.
62 Comments | tags: bicycle, fiction, flash fiction, Friday Fictioneers, funny, idiocy, moon, science fiction, space | posted in Light
This is my 32nd Friday Fictioneers in a row. I love doing them and I like the challenge of coming up with a unique story every week. Still, I keep thinking I need a break from blogging for a while. I was planning on doing it next week, since I have a big Korean test coming up, but I think I’ll hold off for a while. Blogging is addictive, I tell you. Also, last week I got nailed with a cold for a couple of days, so I apologize that I could not read as many of the other Fictioneers stories as I would have liked.
Copyright Randy Mazie
The Devil Guards My Wife
The infernal laugh of thunder presided over her funeral. I stood far off with a fistful of wilted posies as strangers said incantations over my wife’s casket and lowered her into hell’s clammy grip.
I never saw her body. They said she fell down the stairs of the Manor while carrying linens. I nodded and didn’t believe a word.
I don’t care now about talk of rituals up there at night, and of rumors that almost froze my blood.
But that goat won’t leave. I’d kill it but I’m too scared. So I say a prayer and keep my posies.
60 Comments | tags: cemetery, devil, fiction, flash fiction, Friday Fictioneers, funeral, witchcraft | posted in Dark
When I saw this building in Daejeon, South Korea back in March, it screamed “Friday Fictioneers” to me, so I’m very happy that Rochelle chose it. It is apparently a type of barbecue restaurant, although why this is on the roof, I don’t know. Here’s another view of it.
copyright David Stewart
Yardarm Trysts
Captain Black Lung exploded from his cabin like a wet fart.
“Where is she?” he wheezed. Keeping Flora faithful amidst sixty-four leering pirates was a Sisyphean ordeal.
“Ah, there she is, canoodling up on the yardarm.”
“It’s not like that, Captain!” the quartermaster called as he lumbered up the rigging.
“. . . then you burst in with the cake and we’ll sing Happy Birthday,” he heard as he got closer. So she had remembered his birthday. What a great wife! He smiled and climbed back down.
“So,” Flora said, “do you want to put the bomb in the cake, or should I?”
60 Comments | tags: fiction, flash fiction, Friday Fictioneers, funny, happy birthday, murder, pirates | posted in Light
copyright Indira Mukherjee
One Last Ride
“Take your glaucoma medicine,” they said.
“Don’t overexert yourself,” they said.
I say, nuts to that! What golden future am I saving my strength for? I’m well over the hill and coasting fast towards the finish line, etched with a cold, hard epitaph. This is my car and I’ll take it for one last ride, damn it!
Only one good hip? Who cares! That’s one more than a cobra has and it’ll bite you in the ass if you don’t watch it. Don’t underestimate me just because I’m older than you.
Sirens. “Pull over!” they say.
Nuts to you, copper!
82 Comments | tags: car, car chase, escape, fiction, flash fiction, Friday Fictioneers, glaucoma, old age, rebellion | posted in Light
copyright Managua Gunn
The Land of Eternal Summer Snow
Frederick braced himself as a giant hand appeared, blocking out the sun. A moment later, the earth convulsed and began careening back and forth. He clenched his teeth and thought of his training.
Not a twitch. Duty came first.
The world became calm again and a moment later, the snow began to fall—table-sized flakes that floated lazily down, blanketing the landscape. The shadow above moved away.
* * *
“I don’t know,” the boy said. “I’m not really into the European scene.”
“Well, we have Chinese, ancient Roman, even extraterrestrials!” the salesman said. “Here at Sentient Snow Globes, the customer is king.”
72 Comments | tags: European, fantasy, fiction, flash fiction, Friday Fictioneers, German, snow globe | posted in Light
The Green-Walled Tower 