Welcome back to the home of Weird, Wild, & Wicked Tales. Today is Thursday and that means it’s time to start flashing. We’re at the beginning of our ninth year of weekly prompts. It’s amazing we’ve gone this long! This is Week 423 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 Twitter handle or email in the post (so we don’t have to look for 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, Twitter, MeWe, and Google Plus, etc.
Our Judge for Week 423:
The Writing Procrastinator (Master Level), Kaylee Haynes.
And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together.
The Prompt:
“You think you’re so smart.”
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!
“You think you’re so smart.”
I stared at Brian. What were we, four and seven again? “No. I don’t think I’m smart, I know I am.”
Brian had always been a bully. And like most bullies, he managed to hide it from the people who could do something about it, like our parents. As if they would, I reminded myself. Brian was the apple of my dad’s eye, a chip off the old block. And Mom? I stopped that thought dead in its tracks. Going down that road was a bad trip.
“Shut it, Jen. I’m not putting up with your lip today.”
“My lip?” I worked hard to lock my jaw so it didn’t drop. “In case you haven’t noticed, Brian, I’m a grown woman. And devolving to your level, you are not the boss of me.”
His fist clenched but I managed not to flinch. He hadn’t hit me since I was twelve. I’d put a stop to that when I grabbed his baseball bat and swung for the fences. That bat connected with his ribs. The memory of the sound of those ribs cracking still made me nauseous. Dad explained Brian’s injuries by telling the ER staff he’d fallen out of a tree. They left me at home because explaining my black eye and split lip? Anyway. I was no longer afraid of my older brother.
“Do what I say, Jen.” He glared down at me. “Or else.”
“Or else what?”
I never saw what hit me.
****
250 Night Wish WIP words
@SilverJames_
The voice through the grille was emotionless but that made it seem more aggressive. “If you think you’re so smart,” it said, “why don’t you try to pilot for a while? The second moon of Sirius Beta Five is coming up fast – we’ll impact with it in three minutes – but I’ll just attend to my bead-shuffling meniality like the good little abacus I am.”
Madison shook her head and cursed. The air filtration plant had shut down at the same time as the ship’s guidance and gravity generator, so she was floating in the gloom of the fading instruments, trying to find an oxygen mask without a depleted O2 cell, while simultaneously applying the corrective manoeuvres required to prevent the three-hundred and thirty-eight tonnes of light cruiser destroying itself and its crew in less than a hundred seconds time.
“Enough. Enough,” Madison shrieked, fumbling in one of the storage bins beside the console, her attention fragmenting between the monitors, the scream of the engines and her need for something breathable. “I take it back. Every single word. You’re not the bastard child of a 20th century ‘Speak ‘n’ Spell’ and a pressurised vacuum tube. You’re a valued member of the crew, deserving consideration and full payment for the services you provide. Now, will you take the helm – please, while you’ve still the chance?”
The cabin lights flipped back on again. The howling of the engines ceased. “I like this,” the computer purred. “This is much more equitable.”
250 astronomical units to go ~ twothirdsrasta.blogspot.com
Lorise had always feared one of their own would turn on them, but now that it had happened she wasn’t sure what to do. Her eyes searched the mayhem for Seth and couldn’t find him. For a moment her heart seemd to stop. What would she do without Seth? She had to find him.
Her eyes took in the chaos surrounding her as they searched each face for Seth’s familiar and peaceful countenance. When her eyes finally met his, she found no peace there. Instead, his eyes were filled with fear, which he quickly shuttered as he made his way to her.
The two of them were surrounded. Lorise tried to block the screaming by focusing on Seth. It was hard to gather her thoughts through the shrill noise that surrounded them.
“Seth? What are we going to do?”
“Okay, when I told Drew what we’d planned to do, he warned me this could happen.”
Lorise felt the weight lift a little, “He did?”
“Yeah, here’s what he said we should do.” Seth outlined his plan, “What do you think?”
“You’re so smart!” Lorise smiled, “I knew there was a reason I kept you around.”
Seth looked at Lorise, “Are you ready?”
She answered with a curt nod of her head, “Let’s do this.”
Seth gathered his nerves and looked at the crowd surrounding them. Drawing a deep breath he spoke loudly, “Who’s ready for cake and ice cream?”
The screams stopped as children filled their mouths with birthday confections.
@TeresaMEccles
250 words
Duck and Covid
A Discussion at the International Public Health Alarmists Symposium
“What we’re doing just isn’t working. It’s like, one step forward and twelve steps back.”
“We know. You think you’ve got a handle on this nasty bug and whammo…something like Florida happens.”
“As the American representative, I object to you picking on Florida…there’s lots of other choices. Brazil for example.”
“Colleagues let’s not be throwing knives at each other. We’re all members of IPHAS in good standing. We owe it to the world to develop a harmonious solution to the spread.“
“My apologies. It just, our President is a little sensitive about Florida. You know, what with Mar-A-Lago and all. Make it California…he’s a wee bit less tetchy about California.”
“Fine. California it is. We always want to please President Trump. Now, moving forward. We’ve agreed that we need a global approach?”
“Yes. In fact, President Trump has an idea he wants me to present. When he and I met, I ran a few WHO ideas by him and…I remember it so clearly, he’s such a clear thinker, he said ‘You think you’re so smart. You and your WHO gang? You ever heard of Bert The Turtle?’ I confessed that I hadn’t. He explained…1950’s…Nuclear War…actually he sang…the chorus… He’d duck and cover, duck and cover…except the President changed it to “He’d duck; no Covid, duck, no covid.”
“And so?”
“President Trump suggests that the world sing the song …with his lyrics.”
“Ambassador, we’ll take it under advisement.”
250 Words
@billmelaterplea
“What do you suggest if you think you’re so smart?”
“Hey, I’m not the local around here. I can tell you which way is north and that’s about it.” She turned to look back the way they’d come, squinting against the sunlight. “Will we see the lake and the village from up here?”
“I expect so.” Ambrose didn’t say more and she scowled as she followed him higher.
He wasn’t sure they’d see anything up higher, but it seemed as good a direction as any since they’d bolted from the chimera. He had no plans to go back to the village at all, but the only way to get rid of Bailey was to point her in the right direction.
As if she’d read his thoughts, Bailey narrowed her eyes on him. “Why did Major McMacken send me after you anyway? Isn’t your unit back at the village?”
“No.”
That was the short answer. The longer one was he’d grown tired of being in close quarters with the rest of unit. He was a loner, more of a scout and a sniper than a cavalry man, and he preferred being alone. Except there was no place for that in Captain Yarren’s platoon, and Ambrose had been wracking his brain to find a way out of it. AWOL had seemed like the only option.
And then Bailey had shown up to take him in. Now he had to get rid of her, too.
242 ineligible #WIP365 words
@SiobhanMuir
We walked beside the flood lights that lit up the student union. It was perfect weather to stroll in the near darkness.
He turned to me and began walking backwards, holding my gaze with his blue eyes. “Do you know what platonic love is?”
“I’m not sure what you mean by it.”
“It’s a relationship of love between two people who have gone beyond the need for physical love.”
I tried not to respond to his use of the word “love” twice, but he had to have seen the surprise in my eyes. Of course, I tripped.
He caught me before I fell. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I didn’t see the dip.”
He stepped away. “So, I figure this summer we’ve gone beyond Plato’s first stages of love.”
My confused heart raced. “Explain.”
“Well, we understand each other. In fact, no one has ever understood me like you do.”
“Wow! Such praise. I feel honored.”
“Yeah, we can be together and have fun without all that physical stuff getting in the way.”
I wanted his arms around me, passionately kissing me, but he turned and began strolling away.
“You think you’re so smart.” But he couldn’t see he was wrong.
Unable to walk, I wept. I was so in love with him. I wanted what Plato so casually dismissed.
“Hey! Why the tears?”
“I want it all.”
“Oh, thank goodness. Me, too.” He kissed me gently and then deepened it.
“I love you,” we whispered breathlessly in synch.
247 words
pattydump1@embarqmail.com
“For this part, I’m gonna show you some pictures. Please identify the objects if you can. This is not a timed test, so you can relax. It’s also not an intelligence test, but I do want you to do your best. I’m sure you won’t have any trouble, since you think you are so smart. Do you understand the instructions?”
“Yes. You will show me some pictures and you want me to tell you what they are.”
“Very good. That’s exactly right. Then there is more after that. Are you ready to begin?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. Here’s the first image.”
“That’s a snake.”
“Correct. And this?”
“Elephant.”
“Yes. Very good. Next?”
“Alligator. I think? Might be a crocodile…”
“That’s okay, I’ll accept ‘alligator.’”
“All right. Now, the next test. I will show you two sentences. Please read them out loud.”
“I only know that John is the one to help today.”
“Fine. And here’s the next one. Please do the same.”
“The cat always hid under the couch when dogs were in the room.”
“Great.”
“Umm, how much longer is this? Can I have some water?”
“About another ten minutes. But sure, let me get you some water.”
(Examiner leaves the room momentarily, then returns with a pitcher of water and a tumbler.)
“Here you go.”
“Okay. When you are ready…”
“I’m ready.”
“For this part, I want you to draw a duplicate of the shape you see here.”
“The same thing?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. Here.”
“You’re done. Thank you, Mr. President.”
250words
@rrats1231
This can’t be real. A lone pirate can’t penetrate the fortified royal city into the halls of the palace itself, with no sign of the royal guard or elusive intruder. Admiral Jasna Saifullah checks her engraved pistols. One shot each. Unbelievable she hasn’t fired either. The doors of a darkened side room seal behind her.
“Cat,” Jasna spins with a pistol trained on either side of the blackened door. “You think you’re so smart.”
Her strangely feline foe sees better in darkness than the human, but the young admiral only needs one glint from a single eye for her killshot. Hot breath on the back of Jasna’s right hand precedes her pistol prying away. Holding rising panic in her chest, Admiral Saifullah levels her other hand at Cat’s silver eye.
Jasna’s finger pulls on empty air! Her mind is wracked with memories of her first naval ship, boarded by pirates! In the heat of battle the cat-eared pirate captain steals Jasna’s pistol from her hand, in front of men already questioning her command qualifications! This cant’ be real! Jasna reaches for her jambiya; already gone! A purring tug about her hips and her pants also disappear!
The Sword Admiral bolts upright in her bed! Her familiar room settles around her; her stomach within her. She catches her breath. Rather than voice the primal scream in her heart, she reaches for a dagger on her nightstand, and hurls it into center mass of her nemesis’ portrait across from her bed.
249 Cat’s The Pajamas words
@DavidALudwig
I was seventeen when those words echoed in my brain, “You think you’re so smart.”
Words that my grandmother said in frustration since I was young , because I would listen to anything she uttered.
Yes, I had and here I was trapped with some criminals. They only wanted one thing my help in hiding their fresh kill. I lied to my grandmother and said I was studying at the library. I didn’t want to help them but I was worried they’d kill me to. Closing my eyes, I prayed with all my might that my grandmother would somehow find me and rescue me and not be hurt too.
I heard a thunderous roar and opened me eyes to my grandmother with a gun in her hand.
“You dirtbags on the ground now. Paul tie their hands behind their back and hogtie their feet with these ropes,” grandmother said.
I took the ropes and did as she bid.
“Did you call the cops, Grandma?”
“No, I’m going to give them a taste of their own medicine,” my grandmother answered.
My eyes widened and I saw the bad boys shiver one of them even peed his pants. It was then I heard the sirens and knew my grandmother had done it she’d scared the pants off them. The Crown attorney, was saying they’d get 15 years but Grandma said she had some dirt that would put them away for longer. Grandma was badassed. I would listen from now on.
248 Words
@SweetSheil
#ThursThreads Week 423 is now CLOSED. Thanks to everyone who wrote this week and I hope to catch you next week.