#flashfiction – Page 14

#ThursThreads – Tying Tales Together – Week 595

Posted on February 1, 2024January 31, 2024 by Siobhan Muir

Tying Tales Together, #ThursThreads Year 11 Got a tale to tie on?

Welcome back to the home of #ThursThreads. Wow. Year 11. Holy smokes! Y’all kept with me past a decade. I’m astounded. Today is Thursday and that means it’s time to start flashing, like we have for the past 11 years. I had no idea when I started it would keep going! This is Week 595 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Want to keep up each week? Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook and the Group on MeWe. 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 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 Facebook, Bluesky, MeWe, and Mastodon, etc. Our Judge for Week 595: Dark fantasy author, archer, and horsewoman, Daelyn Morgana. Facebook | Bluesky | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “I do this for me.” 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. Good luck!

#ThursThreads – Week 594 – Winners

Posted on January 26, 2024 by Siobhan Muir

Week 594 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. Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook or the #ThursThreads Group on MeWe to keep up with news, etc. Entries: Bill Engleson M.T. Decker Siobhan Muir Sheilagh Lee Mark Ethridge David A. Ludwig Mark A. Morris Honorable Mention David A. Ludwig | Website Siobhan says: What I really appreciate this story is their attempt at non-violence. In our world, violence seems to be everyone’s go-to end result, and I find myself trying to move away from it. So I really liked that the aim was to negotiate and interact rather than kill. Nicely done. Special Mention Mary Decker Siobhan says: What I liked about the story was the last line about seafood gumbo and chocolate. Not all of us love the sweets. Fun tale, and yeah, Valentine’s Day is gonna suck for the devout this year. winner announcement Week 594 Winner Mark Ethridge Siobhan says: I feel this tale every time I have to do my own workout. But I also feel the very last dialog lines: “I don’t do this for them. I do this for me…This is how I survive.” He’s talking mental health, I’m thinking physical health, but either way, we’re both right. It isn’t for them, it’s for ‘me’. Great reminder. “You’ve got it all worked out, don’t you? A regular daily schedule. You scheduled time to do dishes, laundry, your workout, even to get a shower, and take a nap.” I put my wallet and keys on the computer table. “A schedule that gets you through the day.” I took off my jacket and hung it on the back of the chair in front of the table. This was the hardest part of the workout. Getting started. It sucked. And it sucked the life right out of me. I wandered to the top of the stairs and stared down at the stationary bike. “It’s only 30 minutes.” 30 minutes of sweat, and pain, and pushing my body. 30 minutes in which I’d ride that bike, according to its computer, over 8 miles. “Why do you do this to yourself? You know that no one cares. You could get fat and die, and no one would really care.” I went down the stairs, found my athletic shoes and put them on. “And I’m tired of hurting. You know that. Doing this just damn hurts.” I turned on the TV set, set it to stream music videos, then got on the stationary bike. I plugged in the computer on the bike and waited for it to complete its startup sequence. “I don’t do this for them. I do this for me.” 30 minutes later I stopped. 8.23 miles according to the computer. “This is how I survive.”~~~~~~~ Congratulations TWENTY-TWO TIME WINNER Mark, and Honorable Mention David! 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! 🙂

#ThursThreads – Tying Tales Together – Week 594

Posted on January 25, 2024January 24, 2024 by Siobhan Muir

Welcome back to the home of #ThursThreads. Wow. Year 11. Holy smokes! Y’all kept with me past a decade. I’m astounded. Today is Thursday and that means it’s time to start flashing, like we have for the past 11 years. I had no idea when I started it would keep going! This is Week 594 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Want to keep up each week? Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook and the Group on MeWe. 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 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 Facebook, Bluesky, MeWe, and Mastodon, etc. Our Judge for Week 594: Scottish Word Slinger, Dauntless romance author, and #ThursThreads host, Siobhan Muir. Facebook | Bluesky | Patreon | Eden Books | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “You’ve got it all worked out.” 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. Good luck!

#ThursThreads – Week 593 – Winners

Posted on January 20, 2024January 20, 2024 by Siobhan Muir

Week 593 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 Eric Martell 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: Bill Engleson Siobhan Muir J. Thomas Ganzer Mark A. Morris David A. Ludwig M.T. Decker Honorable Mention M.T. Decker | Website Eric says: Why do we create art? What draws us to art? It’s a particularly human kind of magic. winner announcement Week 593 Winner Mark A. Morris Eric says: Buttons exist to be pressed. Even the ones that launch nukes. A wonderful story about what people might think when presented with the ultimate button. BUTTON… “I’ve always wanted to do this. Just push at it. Hammer it down. It’d be the greatest thing. And then afterwards, there wouldn’t be any recriminations. Everyone else would be gone.” Scott grinned and jabbed at the button, first with two fingers and then using his fist. The launch indicator lights remained stubbornly green, the missiles still sleeping, their payloads of nuclear destruction waiting patiently for their release. “And that’s why we have fail-safes,” Harry said, looking nervous. “Christ Almighty. I think you would. I really worry about you sometimes. Remind me to never nominate you for a position of authority. You’d be the end of us all. You’re deranged.” Scott shrugged. “It’d be such a blast, though. Wouldn’t it? I’d be in this bunker. Tucked away, not a care in the world. And global warming wouldn’t ever be a problem. The nuclear winter would take care of that.” “Hmmm. Yes. You’ve got it all worked out. But what would you do then? How would you pass your time? Would you count corpses every night if you couldn’t sleep? Or would you sleep soundly, not a care in the world? I’d need to have someone down here with me for company. Not that I’d launch an attack. I’d hate to have the responsibility to do that.” “And that’s why you’d never be chosen. You’re weak-minded. Self-possessed. I’m exactly the kind of person they’d go for. Somebody who wouldn’t question his orders. A man who’d do what he was told.”~~~~~~~ Congratulations THIRTY-SEVEN TIME WINNER Mark, and Honorable Mention Mary! 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! 🙂

#ThursThreads – Tying Tales Together – Week 593

Posted on January 18, 2024January 16, 2024 by Siobhan Muir

Welcome back to the home of #ThursThreads. Wow. Year 11. Holy smokes! Y’all kept with me past a decade. I’m astounded. Today is Thursday and that means it’s time to start flashing, like we have for the past 11 years. I had no idea when I started it would keep going! This is Week 593 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Want to keep up each week? Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook and the Group on MeWe. 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 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 Facebook, Bluesky, MeWe, and Mastodon, etc. Our Judge for Week 593: Scientist, Dad, and flash fiction author, Eric Martell. Facebook | Bluesky | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “I’ve always wanted to.” 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. Good luck!I’ve always wanted to

#ThursThreads – Week 592 – Winners

Posted on January 12, 2024 by Siobhan Muir

Week 592 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 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: A.J. Walker Bill Engleson Siobhan Muir Mark A. Morris Mark Ethridge Louisa Bacio Honorable Mention Mark Ethridge | Website Mary says: It’s amazing how a simple internal debate can reflect so much of real life, and not just the moment in the story. You captured that late night ‘thinks need doing’ mood perfectly. winner announcement Week 592 Winner A.J. Walker Mary says: This makes me think about the saying “The journey of a thousand miles starts with one step.” And what happens when you aren’t ready to take that step. Sometimes, you wonder about your own values when it comes to the purpose of the journey. Sometimes a dream deferred is just a dream that needs to be revised. Lauren peered up at the leaden sky and her shoulders slumped. If she was to climb the volcano today it had the highest probability of getting messy. She closed her eyes before taking a long draught of her not so hot chocolate. ‘What you thinking about?’ Charlie asked as he swung around the corner into her room. Lauren silently cursed for not locking the hotel room. ‘Was just looking at the weather. It’s gonna be so damn wet.’ Charlie shook his head. ‘How many times? I mean look at all the green out there. The clue is in the name for Chris’s sake.’ Lauren hated Charlie sometimes. This was one of those time. ‘Just say Christ for Chris’s sake.’ She cursed again at herself for falling into the Charlie trap. ‘And yes, I know it’s a rain forest.’ Charlie sprawled over the sofa, wondering why his room wasn’t so plush. He’d never get such an upgrade without money changing hands. Fully clothed, bar her walking boots, Lauren threw herself on the bed. ‘What if I don’t do it?’ She seemed to address the slowly spinning ceiling fan. There was Charlie’s familiar sigh. ‘It’s your bucket list baby. To climb a volcano was numero uno of fifty, yeah?’ ‘Yes. I’ve always wanted to.’ ‘Well we’re here. The volcano is just out there and we leave tomorrow. But if you don’t do it the bucket list will remain untouched after three years of inclement weather.’ Lauren shrugged. ‘Okay, what’s on the telly?’~~~~~~~ Congratulations Three Time Winner A.J., and Honorable Mention Mark! 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! 🙂

#ThursThreads – Tying Tales Together – Week 592

Posted on January 11, 2024January 10, 2024 by Siobhan Muir

Welcome back to the home of #ThursThreads. Wow. Year 11. Holy smokes! Y’all kept with me past a decade. I’m astounded. Today is Thursday and that means it’s time to start flashing, like we have for the past 11 years. I had no idea when I started it would keep going! This is Week 592 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Want to keep up each week? Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook and the Group on MeWe. 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 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 Facebook, Bluesky, MeWe, and Mastodon, etc. Our Judge for Week 592: Computer geek, bass player, historical reenactor, and flash fiction writer, Mary Decker. Facebook | Bluesky | MeWe | Instagram | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “What if I don’t do it?” 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. Good luck!

#ThursThreads – Week 591 – Winners

Posted on December 29, 2023December 31, 2023 by Siobhan Muir

Week 591 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 George Varhalmi 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 Siobhan Muir Kelex Bill Engleson David A. Ludwig LupusAnthropos Louisa Bacio M.T. Decker Honorable Mentions Louisa Bacio | Website George says: The hunter or the hunted. Add a dash of creepy real estate. Equals a great tale. I love the feeling of dilemma mixed in with the sad emotion of how one event changed a region. Awesome scene, I could feel the tension and even had that glimmer of a scent of the swill of the 40. Nice creepy tale. Mark A. Morris | Website George says: Decisions, decisions. Yeah, Honest Tony screams out like the ultimate con he is and is always looking to pull a fast one over anyone in his way. But his last line was the kicker. He admits to what he is, the lying con artist that he is but the one thing that he hasn’t done is kill someone and lays down the gauntlet on Agatha. Does her decision really result in his death? Wow, what a dilemma. Great story with an amazing knife twist back on to the start of it. winner announcement Week 591 Winner Lupus Anthropos George says: A simple tale of a factory reset, albeit a celestial one. What captured me was the bit of self-doubt on the creator’s end whether they should or should not do it. It gave him or her a level of compassion, humility, and maybe even regret should they choose to go through it. In the end, they remembered that they created both the heavens and the earth, here’s hoping for a better roll. Great tale and a wonderful ending. “Are you SURE you want to perform a factory reset?” Am I sure? Am I sure? I think about how it had been going. Things are really messed up. Is there any other way to make it right? But what if I don’t do it? What if I leave everything as it is? How much worse could it possibly get? Of course, I never imagined it could be as bad as it is right now. What alternatives are there? I wouldn’t be able to get back to the current conditions. No, it’s just too much. I confirm the reset. “In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.” Well, let’s see how it goes THIS time.~~~~~~~ Congratulations Four Time Winner Lupus, 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 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! 🙂

#ThursThreads – Tying Tales Together – Week 591

Posted on December 28, 2023December 27, 2023 by Siobhan Muir

Welcome back to the home of #ThursThreads. Wow. Year 11. Holy smokes! Y’all kept with me past a decade. I’m astounded. Today is Thursday and that means it’s time to start flashing, like we have for the past 11 years. I had no idea when I started it would keep going! This is Week 591 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Want to keep up each week? Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook and the Group on MeWe. 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 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 Facebook, Bluesky, MeWe, and Mastodon, etc. Our Judge for Week 591: Dead Thing Specialist, Mining Geologist, and Original Book Boyfriend, George Varhalmi. Facebook | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “Are you sure you want to?” 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. Good luck!

#ThursThreads – Week 590 – Winners

Posted on December 22, 2023December 22, 2023 by Siobhan Muir

Week 590 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 Louisa Bacio for judging this week. Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook or the #ThursThreads Group on MeWe to keep up with news, etc. HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Entries: Bill Engleson Siobhan Muir Silver James David A. Ludwig Mark A. Morris Kelly Heinen Louisa says: Week 590 brings a special set of challenges. With such a small set of contributions, all contain elements that stand out and selection of the top proved extra difficult. One would think it’d be easier with a smaller competition field, but no. Elements considered were the use of the prompt, of course, the hook and the idea of flash fiction – how much of a story is told within the allotted word count. Thank you to all who caught some words and shared this week. Honorable Mention Mark A. Morris | Website Louisa says: Morris’ short offers conflict and provides a solution at the closure. It feels a bit like a “Tiny Tim” tale with Emily and her crutch. My favorite part, though, was the dialogue description of the prompt: “‘What is the problem?’” he asked, his voice ghostly and thin. ‘Why aren’t you playing like the others?’” winner announcement Week 578 Winner David A. Ludwig Louisa says: Perhaps it was the time of year and rendering of the “elves.” The piece intrigued and paid off with the individualization of three characters within such a short time. Traditionally, I don’t veer toward fantasy/sci-fi, but Ludwig had me at “demon sword,” “wood witch” and “tigerlings.” The elves had made camp among the roots of an ancient maple tree. Their rescuer was presumably still somewhere overhead. Sora had taken the first watch and now meditated next to his gear. It was Arashiko’s watch but Tenko was having trouble meditating. Perhaps Mana was as well. His pack sat abandoned. Noticing the direction of Tenko’s attention, Arashiko inclined her head toward the other side of the maple. Tenko nodded and quietly tucked her swords through her belt. Tenko’s childhood friend had his easel set up behind the tree. She smiled. Of course he brought it with him. Mana noticed Tenko watching him and patted the tree root next to him. “You seem troubled, Little Sister.” She sat next to him and considered his charcoal painting. “You have a demon sword.” His painting was an elegant abstract. It also had a dark, almost violent, undertone. “I do,” he sighed. “Can it kill the Wood Witch?” Mana stared into his painting. What was he seeing that Tenko couldn’t? “Yes. Are you sure you want to?” “I’m still weighing our options.” Mana nodded and turned firmly to Tenko. “Now, what’s really bothering you?” Tenko averted her eyes. “Isn’t that enough?” “I know you better than that, Little Sister. What is the problem?” Tenko sighed. “Do you think elves and tigerlings can be friends? Maybe, more?” “You’re thinking of our rescuer?” Mana placed a hand on Tenko’s shoulder. “If you want to find out, I’m on your side all the way.”~~~~~~~ Congratulations TWENTY TIME WINNER David, and Honorable Mention Mark! 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! 🙂