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!
Agatha pushed her initial impression of him aside and let him speak. She would let him decide her final verdict.
“I’m a simple man,” Honest Tony said, wringing his hands. “I have little money, and what I do have is usually spoken for. So, if I’ve a chance to earn an additional couple of cents, it’s a bonus. An opportunity to buy myself some limited comfort or better myself. But not that that happens very often. Good luck rarely favours my kind. The destitute and abandoned have few friends.”
Agatha smiled. He was hoping she’d pity him. He’d given this performance countless times, several of them in front of her. If a jury had been trying him, he might have gotten away with his lies. As it was, she would be the one to make the ruling. She always tried to give the defendants in her court the benefit of her doubts, but this man had had more second chances than a litter of lemmings.
“Is that what you believe? Surely, if that were the case, you’d remember every stroke of good fortune you’d enjoyed. Especially if it required you to forsake the few morals you have. A change in the balance of luck’s favour usually requires that somebody loses.
“Be very careful how you reply. Your life could be forfeit if you misspeak.”
Honest Tony shrugged. “I’ve lied, and I’ve cheated more years than I can remember. But I’ve never taken a life. Are you sure YOU want to?”
250 words – twothirdzrasta.blogspot.com
“I brought you the tea in person to let you know you’re not coming to work for the next couple of days.” Emily smiled apologetically.
“What? Why?” Triss froze. “Is it because I freaked out last night? I swear I won’t let you down and I can keep working. The pregnancy isn’t making it too hard and I won’t freak out on the customers.” She held back tears. “Good glory, please don’t fire me.”
“Oh no. No, no. I’m not firing you, Triss.” Emily set down the mug and grasped Triss’s shoulders. “I’m giving you paid time off.”
Triss frowned. “Why?”
“Because you’re pregnant and you need time off your feet, and because being in the coffee shop means everyone who comes in will see you, including your ex.” Emily gave her a compassionate smile. “I want you to be safe.”
“Are you sure you want to do that? It puts pressure on the other employees to take my shifts. I can work.”
Emily shook her head. “Right now, I need you to take care of yourself and to be safe. This will be a great time to catch up on laundry, or reading, or knitting. You like to knit, right? Maybe make something for yourself or the kidlet.” She patted Triss’s shoulders and released her. “You and that little one need to be safe and right now, staying home is the best choice. Don’t worry about your job. It’ll be there when we take care of this ex thing.”
250 ineligible #WIP words
@siobhanmuir on Bluesky
I’d never been up close to a dinosaur but today was my lucky day, it seemed. Or possibly the worst ever. If I made it out alive, I’d be able to determine which. I hung both feet over the edge of the thirty-foot enclosure beside my best friend and co-conspirator, Arliss. The rope ladder we’d fashioned dangled between us, waiting for my next move.
Did I descend and witness prehistory for myself or did I chicken out—as I damned well knew I should. Yet my gut had never led me astray. It was currently telling me to slide down that length of hemp to find whatever was beckoning from within.
“Are you sure you want to? I mean, we can still turn back.”
“We?” I asked, noting the panic in Arliss’ eyes. “This is as far as you go.”
“Fuck you, Damian. Where you go, I go.”
My mind made up, I reached for the rope. “Fine, but I go first. Once down, I’ll flag you if the coast is clear.”
“Okay,” Arliss murmured, his hand trembling as he grasped one of mine and helped me into position.
After one last glance at Arliss, I descended. As soon as my feet were on terra firma, I yanked as hard as I could and felt the rope give way. It slammed heavily to the ground, all thirty feet of it. I gave Arliss a wave, knowing he’d remain safe for one more day, and turned to begin my search…
249 words
@authorkelex on Bluesky
Reflections
As certain as Bea seemed to be about sharing her story, Danny sensed that there was still a reluctance. Even though he had been forthcoming about his motives, the concerns his client had expressed that she might even be a police agent setting a trap for the alleged communist hordes, he was still a stranger to her.
There was no real reason for her to trust him. And she seemed to break off her tale every so often as if the impact of memory was too excruciating to continue.
He found himself constantly seeking to help her to get back on track, to reveal whatever it was she seemed to want to set loose.
“Are you sure you want to continue?” he asked. “I feel as if I am some evil dentist pulling teeth against your will.”
That brought a thin smile. It may have been an error on his part to compare himself to a dentist. Typically, dentist visits were rarely pleasant experiences.
“Do I want to continue? I thought I did, was…but my story is quite involved…”
“Well,” he said, “if I am to write it, I would rather know the whole intricate tale, warts and all, or, if you prefer, abscessed teeth and all…but you have to first trust me and then not hold anything back. That measure of honesty is hard to achieve…”
Danny couldn’t have expressed himself more clearly. He wanted the big picture, her big picture.
A risky moment of truth had arrived.
2150 WIP
@billmelaterplea
Make that 250 WIP not 2150 WIP…
Arashiko was not used to hanging back with the rest of the group. Sure, their new friend, Hagane, knew the forest and where they were going better than Arashiko. But not knowing the way was the best part of being a scout!
The wild haired elf would never admit it aloud, but there were times that even she lost track of their tigerling guide’s location. That was supposed to be her trick, too.
Tenko was deep into her think-y expression. Or, rather, lack of expression. And Sora was just way too serious all the time. So that left Mana.
Arashiko sidled up next to the dapper painted elf.
“So, you ready to fight the awesome Wood Witch?”
Mana made a very Sora face.
“I’m hoping it doesn’t come to that.”
Arashiko tilted her head.
“Didn’t we already say we would?”
“Tenko’s working on something. She isn’t ready to accept violence as the only way forward. Are you?”
“Sure! You want to bet on which of us kills the Witch?”
“My demon sword is the only thing we have that can kill her.”
“So that ought to be a pretty safe bet for you. Don’t you think?”
196 Tale of Tenko Words
@DavidALudwig on Bluesky
“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.
117 words
@LupusAnthropos
Wow! Welcome back, Lupus! I haven’t seen you in forever.
A super fog rolled through the streets, making it almost impossible to see. The streetlights provided a dimmed glow.
Since Hurricane Katrina, investment groups bought properties, turning them into vacation rentals. It attracted tourists but made it difficult for the working class to find affordable housing. The Preacher, though, weathered all sorts of storms. He held onto his home and outdated beliefs.
Soon enough, Nick stood in front of the house.
“Are you sure you want to go in there?” His voice echoed off the dense fog.
It might be dumb to be here. He’d blew through the “bro code.” He felt some obligation to talk to Shane. He didn’t want to ask for permission to be with Silver, but he didn’t want to hide it either.
She made it clear she made her own decisions, especially over the autonomy of her body. But when shit got bad at his place growing up, they gave him a place to crash. Coming here seemed to be the right thing to do.
“How long you going to stand out there?” a voice called from the obscured porch.
Chains squeaked as someone got up from the old swing. Shane emerged, carrying a crossbow and a 40 ounce. He guzzled a swig before wiping his mouth with the hand holding the bow. The pointed arrow aimed at Nick.
“What are you doing out here?”
“Hunting. Figured something might come to me.” He looked Nick up and down. “Guess I was right. Let’s go inside.”
250 words
@LouisaBacio
Best Served
I watched as they started going through Brick’s things. The man had been gone less than a day and the vultures were already picking over his things. I held back watching them, and listening. That was one thing Brick taught me a long time ago – listen to what is said, listen to how it’s said, and listen for the silence.
“Are you sure you want to go through with this?”
It was Rob, Brick’s best friend. He’d been there when the nightmare started and I knew he was going to see it through.
“No, I’m fairly certain I don’t want to– but I need to.”
“You’re not too far into this, you can back out now–not get any of it on you and yours.”
“Yeah, but you know me and mine– we can’t let a challenge like this go without answering in kind, and you know how they are, we don’t push back, we don’t challenge– they’re going to steamroll right over us. best to stop them before they get any momentum behind them.”
Truth be told Brick and Rob were mine too. They may have thought that they were the shepherds and we were the sheep, but let’s face it– we were a full flock of shepherds, sheepdogs, and more than a few wolves. We took care of each other and it was time to remind people.
I stood up in the back of the room and in my best mom voice asked “Now, what’s this about paybacks?”
250 words, not including title
@mishmhem
#ThursThreads is now CLOSED. Thanks to everyone who wrote this week and I hope to catch you NEXT YEAR! LOL