Week 432 of #ThursThreads had many fantastic tales. I’m honored to see all the writers come to tie a tale as we start our ninth year. If you’ve been doing it a while, thank you for sticking with us. If you’ve just found us, welcome! May you come back again and write more great flash. Thousand thanks to Mary Decker for judging this week. Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook or the #ThursThreads Group on MeWe to keep up with news, etc.
Entries:
- Joseph P. Garland | @JPGarlandAuthor
- Silver James | @SilverJames_
- Mark A. Morris
- Bill Engleson | @billmelaterplea
- Louisa Bacio | @Louisabacio
- Joe Hesch | @JAHesch
- Catherin Derham | @cathducourau
- Teresa Eccles | @TeresaMEccles
- Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir
- David A. Ludwig | @DavidALudwig
- Mark Ethridge | @mysoulstears
- Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
- Stacy Bennett | @SBennettWrites
Honorable Mentions
Louisa Bacio | @Louisabacio
Mary says: Your story had an almost lyrical rhythm to it – It draws the reader in and shows you the whimsical side of coping and adapting – and the fact that sometimes the best coping mechanism is laughter and acceptance.
Mark Ethridge | @mysoulstears
Mary says: I enjoyed the give and take and semi whimsical take on ‘be careful what you wish for.’ The last line fit so well and summed things up perfectly.
winner announcement
Week 432 Winner
Mark A. Morris
Mary says: I love the imagery in your story and the synesthesia feel to hearing colours. I haven’t seen this used in a story before – it very quickly establishes an unfamiliar concept and makes it more real. Well done!
“I can hear you thinking,” she said. “It disturbs me. You speak in colours but without clarity. It’s like an aurora borealis inside my head.”
I pressed my back against Angelique’s. We were well-matched in height, but she was more muscular. I could see her in my thoughts in a dark gymnasium, wielding barbells, her body glazed with a sheen of sweat. She was alone and had her eyes closed, a fire of fatigue creeping through her. She would exercise to exhaustion and only then stop to rest.
“Stop it. Stop it now.” She pushed me away, dropping barriers inside her head. But she maintained our physical contact, seeking to see inside me instead. If anything, she drove even more firmly against me, the ridges of our vertebrae grinding together. I began to see her ‘voice’ as it snaked alongside my thoughts, smoke against sunlight, threading and dividing until it began to interleave with mine.
“Enough with that,” I said, grinning into the dark. “You’re getting better. Stronger. But you’re still lacking the subtlety you’ll need. You have to develop your mental jiu-jitsu, or you’ll always be bested by a more experienced opponent.” I drove her back with a casual demonstration of force, using finesse to pinch out each of the infiltrating threads before it could develop the agility to escape. I was beginning to feel smug, in fact, and that’s why I only had the chance to think ‘what is all this’ before the darkness fell in on me.
~~~~~~~
Congratulations Nineteen Time Winner Mark, and Honorable Mentions Louisa, and Mark! Don’t forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it!
Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, MeWe, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the original tales HERE. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! 🙂
