Welcome back to the home of #ThursThreads for Week 723. Year Lucky 13! The last year of the cycle, the Moon Year. To those who keep coming back, I’m delighted to see you again!
Today is Thursday and that means it’s time to start flashing on #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Want to keep up each week? Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Discord and the group on Facebook.
Need the rules? Read on.
Here’s how it works:
- The prompt is a line from the previous week’s winning tale.
- The prompt can appear ANYWHERE in your story and is included in your word count.
- The prompt must be used as is. It can be split, but no intervening words can be inserted or tenses changed.
Rules to the Game:
- This is a Flash Fiction challenge, which means your story must be a minimum of 100 words, maximum of 250.
- The story must be new writing, not a snippet from something published elsewhere with the prompt added.
- Incorporate the prompt anywhere into your story (included in your word count).
- Post your story in the comments section of this post
- Include your word count in the post (or be excluded from judging)
- Include your social media handle or email in the post (so we easily notify you)
- The challenge is open 7 AM to 8 PM Mountain Time US.
- The winner will be announced on Friday, depending on how early the judge gets up.
How it benefits you:
- You get a nifty cool badge to display on your blog or site (because we’re all about promotion – you know you are!)
- You get instant recognition of your writing prowess on this blog!
- Your writing colleagues shall announce and proclaim your greatness on Bluesky, MeWe, Discord, and Mastodon, etc.
Our Judge for Week 723:
Dead Thing Specialist, Mining Geologist, and Gamer, George Varhalmi.
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And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together.
The Prompt:
“We can make it look natural.”
All stories written herein are the property (both intellectual and physical) of the authors. Comments do not represent the views of the host and the host reserves the right to remove any content. Now, away with you, Flash Fiction Fanatics, and show us your #ThursThreads in the Moon Year. Good luck!
Expiry Date
It was a case way beyond my comfort level. And I almost balked when Kate Verity approached me about it.
“There is no mystery here,” she said. “Quite the contrary. Death is a familiar friend in our family.”
She was in her mid sixties, trim from a lifetime of jogging, and genes too, I suppose. Good diet had left her with a smoother complexion that many her age. I would certainly wrinkle up when I reached that plateau.
“He prefer no pills or injections. Just a slow loss of breath. He’s losing breath every moment now,” she added.
There it was. Her husband, John Verity, had been a mentor of mine. He had been a defence lawyer I’d met early on in my career. I handled numerous cases for him. I felt as close to him as the brother I never had. A much older brother. And far wiser than me.
“John was fairly sure you would agree to help. He knows your views on life…on death…on freedom.”
John and I had had many chats about death. We’d each seen quite a lot.
“He knows it’s a big ask. He said we can make it look..”
“Natural?” I threw in.
“Yes. Natural. He can barely talk and his breath is so faint. There’s no pain. And I…”
I understood. She could not bring herself to assist his exit. I would be a suitable substitute. Morally, I had no qualms.
I would do it.
What are friends for!
249 words
@billmelaterplea
@sterlings-son-2.bsky.social
“This is crazy. We should leave now.” She looked over her shoulder as he led her inexorably closer to the front doors.
“You can’t leave somewhere you haven’t even reached yet,” he grumbled.
“Even better, let’s not turn up!” The heel gave way under her foot and she rolled over onto her ankle making them stop. “Ow. I can’t walk in these things.” The panic was barely contained in her eyes. He took a deep breath, trying to look more soothing and faced her.
“Elena, it is going to be fine. We’ve done this before.”
“Last time, I didn’t have to pretend to be your date.”
“Is it such a distasteful prospect?” His face creased up into a frown as he pulled back a little.
Tears threatened to ruin the make-up she had begrudgingly put on. He could see she was fighting with her own breathing to try and keep control of her voice. “No one is going to believe it.” His irritation softened as he watched her rub warmth into her bare arms, trying to fold in on herself. Her gaze sank to the floor.
“Why on Earth not? We can make it look natural.” He smiled, hoping it reached his voice.
She laughed harshly, “Oh come on. Look at me. I make everything look unnatural.”
He pulled his jacket off and draped it over her shoulders. “Just follow my lead.” He stared directly into her eyes. “And trust me.”
241 words
@lexikonical.bsky.social