#ThursThreads – Page 9

#ThursThreads – Tying Tales Together – Week 619

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

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

Welcome back to the home of #ThursThreads for Week 619. 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 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 619: Computer IT master, flashfiction writer, and human, Mark Ethridge. Bluesky | Discord | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “I’ll admit, it’s not ideal.” 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 618 – Winners

Posted on July 19, 2024July 20, 2024 by Siobhan Muir

Week 618 of #ThursThreads was a success, and y’all never disappoint. Thank you to everyone who writes each week. You are why we’re still doing this. If you’ve just found us, welcome to the crew! May you come back again and write more great flash. Follow Siobhan Muir on Bluesky or 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 Sheilagh Lee Silver James Miranda Gammella David A. Ludwig Mark Ethridge Nellie Batz Katheryn J. Avila Honorable Mentions Mark Ethridge | Website Siobhan says: While fiction, the last line of this tale hit home for me against the screen of what’s going on IRL. The machines say, “They will learn nothing.” And the lesson I heard was, “Violence solves and teaches nothing.” For both Sunshine and the humans, nothing changed. Merlin (from earlier tales) had done the same and the pattern repeated. To change the pattern, Sunshine must change her tactics. Made me think. Well done. Miranda Gammella | Website Siobhan says: I liked the confidence of the character. I truly hope it’s not misplaced in this instance, but it might be very exciting if it is. The only thing that kept this from winning was the head-hopping at the end. The ending would’ve been stronger if it stayed in the Boss’s head. Good tale. winner announcement Week 618 Winner Katheryn J. Avila Siobhan says: What I loved about this piece was the resignation, determination, and acceptance. It was the great mixture of someone who knows what they need to do even when everyone else sees them differently. There was both humanity and integrity in the character. Well done. “They can try to kill me.” I take a bite of my apple and shrug, setting the ‘Wanted’ notice on the ground. “Whether they succeed is a different story.” The words ‘Dead or Alive’ glare at me from the parchment in the dancing fire light. “You’re surprisingly cavalier for someone with a bounty on their head.” Nolan sits beside me, grabs the notice, crumples it into a ball, and throws it in the fire. “It’s not like they’d be the first, and I’m sure they won’t be the last.” Being not just a princess, but the appointed royal mage comes with as many dangers as it does perks. I might not be directly in line for the throne since abdicating my birthright in favor of magical studies, but there has never been any shortage of people trying to get closer to the crown. “Besides, figuring out who the real assassin can’t possibly be that difficult.” “And yet here we are, on the run.” “I’ll admit, it’s not ideal.” It’s only been a day, but the look of dismay and betrayal on my sister’s face will haunt me forever. I’m trying not to think about how easily she could believe I’d try to hurt her. Especially after everything I’ve done to protect her and her wife. “Nora-” “We’ll be fine.” I toss the apple core into the fire. “We have to be. Celeste and Kieran’s lives depend on it.” Nolan doesn’t argue, and I’ve never been more grateful for his silence.~~~~~~~ Congratulations Fifteen Time Winner Katheryn, and Honorable Mentions Mark, and Miranda! 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 618

Posted on July 18, 2024July 17, 2024 by Siobhan Muir

Welcome back to the home of #ThursThreads for Week 618. 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 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 618: 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: “They can try to kill 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 617 – Winners

Posted on July 13, 2024July 13, 2024 by Siobhan Muir

Week 617 of #ThursThreads was a success, and y’all never disappoint. Thank you to everyone who writes each week. You are why we’re still doing this. If you’ve just found us, welcome to the crew! May you come back again and write more great flash. A thousand thanks to Eric Martell for judging this week. Follow Siobhan Muir on Bluesky or check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook or the #ThursThreads Group on MeWe to keep up with news, etc. Entries: Bill Engleson Joe Hesch Terri Mertz Teresa M. Eccles Siobhan Muir Kelly Heinen Mark Ethridge David A. Ludwig Silver James Mark A. Morris Honorable Mentions Kelly Heinen | Website Eric says: Any story that makes me want to go listen to John Prine (in this case, “Jesus, the Missing Years”) has done me a service. Caught me with the whole my parents/my father thing at the beginning, but then wrapped back around to make it all make sense. Terri Mertz | Website Eric says:This one’s a story that’s all setup and no payoff, but it’s quite a setup. Filled with little details that give it life – why polka music? – it jumps off the screen. winner announcement Week 617 Winner Mark Ethridge Eric says: A masterful and angry allegory of anthropogenic climate change told via the abuse we so easily heap on those who are different. It’s hard for a story of 250 words to work on multiple levels, but Mark did it here. Well done! Sunshine looked at her reflection on the surface of the ocean. “I can see it in your eyes,” she thought as she hovered in place above the ocean. “You’re angry.” She was. It was an anger that had been building since she encountered the men on the boat. Then she found their village, and her anger grew. Then she learned what they did to anyone who was not like them. Their own children, even. How they killed them. Or certainly tried to. “Well. They can try to kill me.” She called on the wild magic, and a storm formed on the ocean. A storm that strangely enough left her alone. “They can try.” She flew toward the village. As she flew, she made sure the storm grew, until it had the winds of a hurricane, and the rain that went with it. She flew straight toward the village. She flew low so the humans could see her. “They will know this was done by me.” The storm struck the boat piers of the village first. Water and waves covered them, twisted them, splintered them, destroyed them. The storm threw any boats onto the land, leaving twisted piles of wood. Sunshine landed on the shore of the village. She walked through it. The storm lashed at the buildings. Not all of the buildings survived. Not all of the people in the village survived. The machines spoke. “Just like Merlin did when he was here.” Sunshine made the storm worse.~~~~~~~ Congratulations TWENTY-THREE TIME WINNER Mark, and Honorable Mentions Kelly and Terri! 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 617

Posted on July 11, 2024July 9, 2024 by Siobhan Muir

Welcome back to the home of #ThursThreads for Week 617. 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 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 617: Scientist, Dad, and flash fiction author, Eric Martell. Facebook | Bluesky | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “I can see it in your eyes.” 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 616 – Winners

Posted on July 5, 2024July 5, 2024 by Siobhan Muir

Week 616 of #ThursThreads was a success, and y’all never disappoint. Thank you to everyone who writes each week. You are why we’re still doing this. If you’ve just found us, welcome to the crew! May you come back again and write more great flash. A thousand thanks to George Varhalmi for judging this week. Follow Siobhan Muir on Bluesky or check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook or the #ThursThreads Group on MeWe to keep up with news, etc. Entries: Bill Engleson Kelly Heinen Sheilagh Lee Silver James Eric Martell David A. Ludwig Siobhan Muir Miranda Gammella Mark Ethridge George says: There were four incredible stories. Each one portrayed a different complex emotion. The separating quality came down to the activity level of the writing. In two there was active interaction that drove the story whereas the other two focused more on headspace contemplation. All of the following tales were incredibly good and I enjoyed each one immensely. Thank you, Siobhan, for letting me be your judge this week. Honorable Mentions Mark Ethridge | Website George says: Mark’s story came in as an extremely close second for the winner. It is my first honorable mention for the powerful interaction between Sunshine and a machine. The building fury is palpable. “Hell hath no fury” is going to take on a whole new meaning in the coming future not for being scorned but for pure outrage. I felt her anger in her interaction and the tale ended exactly where it needed to be for the challenge. What an excellent tale, Mark, thank you for writing it. David A. Ludwig | Website George says: Fanboy geekdom at its finest. This was a great tale, David, it made me laugh. I loved it. The interaction between Jian and the protagonist is sweet and one I enjoyed. The headspace conversation at the beginning of the tale was good but it felt like a backstory entry into the tale which shortened the interaction which was the true gem of the tale. I look forward to seeing where that interaction could go. It was a funny, geeky tale of two souls meeting in an accidental way. Thank you, David, for sharing your tale. Miranda Gammella | Website George says: Oh my god, I would be in the same shape should my loved one return from the dead. Trying to grasp what on earth is happening, how, and all of the other chaotic thoughts. This was an excellent piece from the internal view of the protagonist trying to understand what is happening in his headspace. What I would love to see (and maybe it’s in a future tale for someone else to read) is how her conversation went with her doctor (who was struggling as much as the main protagonist on what is going on). That’s an interaction I’d love for her to have and how it goes. Miranda this was a great tale and thank you for letting me read it. winner announcement Week 616 Winner Silver James George says: This was a challenging decision between a story with compassion versus a growing furor about to unleash. Silver’s story came out on top for its compassion. The active interaction between Declan and Maggie was powerful yet filled with fiery compassion. Something went drastically wrong for Maggie that day, Declan knew it and could see. In this tale, he put down the swagger (of previous tales I have read) to bring in the humanity of the situation. This was a great tale, Silver, and an enjoyable read. Maggie glanced at her watch feeling rumpled and out of sorts. Declan sat across the room in his tailored slacks and starched shirt looking like he’d stepped out of a magazine. Her purple scrubs held a stains that could be any number of body fluids. She’d dealt with them all during her shift. Why had she knocked on his door instead of her own place next door? “Why are you here, Maggie?” His voice was warm and soft like a caress. She knew the answer but couldn’t bring herself to admit it. “Because I didn’t want to be alone.” The words were out and she couldn’t call them back. So okay, maybe she could admit to her loneliness—which hadn’t been a problem until she met this enigmatic man. “Then you can stay.” A wicked gleam lit his eyes. “I wouldn’t want to intrude on your hospitality.” Declan burst out laughing. “If this is a hint of your bedside manner, remind me to stay out of your hospital.” “Fine. You don’t want my company—” She marched toward the front hallway but he snagged her arm before she got even halfway across the room. “Ease down, Maggie. You’ve had a hard day. I can see it in your eyes. Still, it’s good to know your temper lurks there under the sadness. Come. Sit down. I’ll get you some wine and you can tell me about your day.” “I’d rather have a beer.” “A girl after m’own heart then. Good to know.”~~~~~~~ Congratulations SIXTY-SEVEN TIME WINNER Silver, and Honorable Mentions David, Miranda! Don’t forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! Please email Siobhan to get your prizes at muir.siobhan@gmail.com 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 616

Posted on July 4, 2024July 3, 2024 by Siobhan Muir

Welcome back to the home of #ThursThreads for Week 616. Happy Independence Day for those who celebrate. 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 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 616: Dead Thing Specialist, Mining Geologist, and Original Book Boyfriend, George Varhalmi. Facebook | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “Then you can stay.” There will be prizes offered to the winner and honorable mentions this time (they’re rocks since the judge is a geologist) shown below. 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! Medicine Bag and Gourmet Tea Sampler Black Biotite in Pink Feldspar Gemmy Quartz Crystals Rainbow Bizmuth

#ThursThreads – Week 615 – Winners

Posted on June 28, 2024June 28, 2024 by Siobhan Muir

Week 615 of #ThursThreads was a success, and y’all never disappoint. Thank you to everyone who writes each week. You are why we’re still doing this. Speaking of doing this, we WILL HAVE #THURSTHREADS ON JULY 4 2024, so if you need a reason to write that day, we’ll be doing it. If you’ve just found us, welcome to the crew! May you come back again and write more great flash. A thousand thanks to Muirlette #1 for judging this week. Follow Siobhan Muir on Bluesky or check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook or the #ThursThreads Group on MeWe to keep up with news, etc. Entries: Bill Engleson Alex Minns Mark A. Morris Silver James Kelly Heinen Mark Ethridge Siobhan Muir Sheilagh Lee Patty Dump David A. Ludwig Eric Martell Nellie Batz Honorable Mentions Patty Dump | Website Muirlette says: I liked the twist at the end. The aforementioned character, Gary, shows up at the end after ditching another. And starts making demands. The suspense was nicely done. David A. Ludwig | Website Muirlette says: I like the interaction between the characters. Plus the hitch at the end, her inability to bleed, was a nice touch. I am interested to see where the rest of this scene goes and how it turns out. Well done. Silver James | Website Muirlette says: I like how the heroine stood up to the hero and didn’t let him walk all over her despite how powerful he is. That was a nice touch. Well done. winner announcement Week 615 Winner Kelly Heinen Muirlette says: I loved the humor and perspective of the MC. It made them so much more relatable and it made it so the reader could totally step into her shoes per se. Great story and well done. Nervous? Who’s nervous? Not me, having surgery for the first time ever in my entire life. My blood pressure isn’t sky high. The nurse said she’d be right back; maybe I can sneak away before they start. I mean, my knee isn’t that bad. Right? “There we go.” The nurse pushes something into my IV and seconds later, I have not a care in the world. Amputate my leg, I don’t care. Is that an elephant? On the ceiling? Wow. He’s so agile. “Carla.” Oh shit. That’s my boss. Wait, what did that nurse give me?! “Why are you here?” He grins, his skeletal face morphing into his version of a human male. Plump face, ruddy cheeks, friendly wide grin. “I am always present at surgeries. Just in case.” I sigh, rubbing my face. “I’m already scared to death; I didn’t think you’d show up to make it worse.” His smile widens. “You are already in surgery and things are going fine. I am here for moral support. After all, this will take a couple of hours, yes? You may as well have someone to talk to.” Fair enough. “Promise I’ll be fine?” “Promise.” “Then you can stay.” In true Iowa fashion, he sets up a card table. “500?” “Sure.” He waves a hand and some of my departed relatives join us. I’m going to get my ass whooped at this game by Uncle Rodney, who can play 500 in his sleep. But it will at least pass the time.~~~~~~~ Congratulations TWENTY-ONE-TIME WINNER Kelly, and Honorable Mentions Patty, David and Silver! 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 Togther – Week 615

Posted on June 27, 2024June 26, 2024 by Siobhan Muir

Welcome back to the home of #ThursThreads for Week 615. 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 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 615: Cat wrangler, master violinist, and Tea connoisseur, Muirlette #1. And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “Why are you here?” 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 614 – Winners

Posted on June 21, 2024June 21, 2024 by Siobhan Muir

Week 614 of #ThursThreads was a success, and y’all never disappoint. Thank you to everyone who writes each week. You are why we’re still doing this. If you’ve just found us, welcome to the crew! May you come back again and write more great flash. A thousand thanks to Louisa Bacio for judging this week. Follow Siobhan Muir on Bluesky or check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook or the #ThursThreads Group on MeWe to keep up with news, etc. Entries: Bill Engleson Silver James Siobhan Muir Sheilagh Lee Mark Ethridge Mark A. Morris David A. Ludwig Miranda Gammella Honorable Mention Mark Ethridge | Website Louisa says: I’m getting mash-up of Tinker Bell + Deadliest Catch. The variance in point of view makes this tale intriguing. There’s also a slight edge of foreshadowing. Is Sunshine a fairy or is she a witch? Is there really a difference? winner announcement Week 614 Winner Miranda Gammella Louisa says: The sentence structure and storytelling of this short grabbed my attention. Miranda let the story capture the reader’s interest and slowly unwind. I want to know more about “he,” the husband. There are no names in the tale. Did he kill his wife? Why is she haunting him? He knew he couldn’t hide forever. As much as he tried to re-enter society—re-enter reality, he found it was nearly impossible. Doing so would make it real, acknowledging her death happened, that she was irrevocably gone. Everyone kept telling him that everyone handles grief differently and to take all the time he needed to process her death. There would never be enough time for that. He would stop time if he could. Despite his wishes, the clock was ticking. Time continued to move forward, steadily and sure, tick tick tick. He poured himself another whiskey, having stopped counting them a long time ago. The alcohol did little to assuage the pain, no matter how much he drank. If she was here, he’d be right well drunk, but she wasn’t, so he wasn’t. Movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention, a familiar wisp of golden blonde hair. The scent of the ocean soon followed. “Come to torture me some more?” he asked her ghost. “Thought you had enough fun toying with me already.” His wife stood there with the same sad expression that she had the last time he saw her ghost. She looked perfect, not a single hair out of place. No broken bones or fractures or blood, unlike the day he had to identify her body at the morgue, mangled and lifeless. “Why are you here?”~~~~~~~ Congratulations Three Time Winner Miranda, 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! 🙂