Week 578 of #ThursThreads, and y’all never disappoint. We’ve made it 11 years! Well done and thank you to everyone who writes each week. You made this happen. If you’ve just found us, welcome to the crew! You’re in good company. May you come back again and write more great flash. A thousand thanks to Tina Glasneck 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:
- Mark A. Morris
- Silver James
- Bill Engleson
- Joe Hesch
- Sheilagh Lee
- David A. Ludwig
- Daelyn Morgana
- Louisa Bacio
- M.T. Decker
- Siobhan Muir
Tina says: Thank you so much for allowing me the pleasure and opportunity to read your amazing tales. Words can bespell us all, and your tales enchanted me! After reading your submissions, I pondered over each of them. Stories stay long after they are consumed. That being said, this was a great selection of flash fiction, and I thoroughly enjoyed each of the submissions.
Honorable Mentions
Mark A. Morris | Website
Tina says: This tale had me thinking about it long after I finished it. It is not only about the innocence of the conversation but also what is left unsaid—that empty space where the audience can gasp in knowing… yes, we know what shall happen. Very cleverly told. Great Job!
Louisa Bacio | Website
Tina says: Oh, this story definitely pulled on these heartstrings. Not only because of it being the possibility of the last goodbye, but what it might mean for these lovers who could lose their shared love due to distance. The weight of what they leave unsaid but present in their nonverbal communication—the discomfort, the angst, the breaking hearts. It left me wondering if she looked back, and if he waited until she was out of sight before hitting reverse. Well done!
Daelyn Morgana | Website
Tina says: I love the way the words painted the scene, bringing it and the characters to life. My imagination simply unfolded, talking in every bit that was being said, as if I was eavesdropping on conversation. Bravo!
winner announcement
Week 578 Winner
Tina says: This vivid tale made me recall some of the harder talks — both as a parent, but also as a child. It truly clenches the heartstrings. This story spoke to my heart because it connects with the reader and allows them to see through the character’s eyes using their own experiences. It showcases powerful characterization, distinct voices, as well as an unforgettable message—that no matter what age we are at, we still have things to learn. Excellent!
Reverie
He loved his brief moments of reverie. Remembering his early days, finding those emotional touchstones that triggered a strong feeling, a memory, perhaps, a dream, a look.
Writers, he’d discovered, required a capacity to draw on memory, even faulty memory, for he recognized that time withered truth, that even when it should be crystal clear, it rarely was.
At least for him. That was another frustrating aspect to aging, to recall. Each of us have to rely on how we remember events, see the world.
Of course, others would share their perspective.
Some days earlier, Anthea had brought him his coffee out to the porch and pressed him for history about her grandmother.
“How did you see her?” she’d asked. “I mean, when you first saw her, what was that like?”
Anthea was in the local college now, surrounded by inquiring minds, a raft of young people in search of their future, dependent on their accumulating wisdom, parsing what they will from their teachers, the world around them.
He was killing time, he knew, wondering how one describes the attraction of one fascinating creature to another and necessarily wanting to be overly descriptive. As much as he wanted to revel in his romantic past, he also wanted to say, “I’ll tell you later, sweetheart. Really, I will.”
And hope that the moment might evaporate.
Still, she was his only granddaughter and he had to learn to share the truth.
After all, he was a writer. He’d written a book.
~~~~~~~
Congratulations THIRTY-TWO TIME WINNER Bill, and Honorable Mentions Mark, Louisa, and Daelyn! Don’t forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it!
Pass on the great news on Facebook, MeWe, Bluesky, Mastodon, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the original tales HERE. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! 🙂
