Welcome back to the home of #ThursThreads for Week 621.
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 621:
Dark fantasy author, archer, and horsewoman, Daelyn Morgana.
And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together.
The Prompt:
“She could not face this battle alone.”
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!
The Last Bird
“Ferry’s down,” the Ticket Taker told Nancy.
“Down?” she asked, miffed.
“Don’t get huffy, Ma’am. We have a no tolerance for abuse policy.”
“I’m sorry. I’m not angry…” But she was getting ticked off that she had been accused of getting huffy. Her grandmother got huffy. When she was older. Young women don’t get huffy. Okay, now she was moving in that direction. It wouldn’t be helpful. And maybe ticked off was huffy-like. Who the hell cares, she thought. Finally, tired of useless emotional eruption, she pulled herself together and asked, “Know when it’ll be fixed?”
The Ticket Taker gave her one of those looks, like he was debating whether to share his intel or keep it to himself out of spite or self defense.
“Nope.”
She smiled a sickly smirk, then asked, “I need to get home. I have children to pick up. You must have some idea of when…”
“Ma’am, I only work here. Help’s on the way…”
“Help?” she asked.
“The Electric Company. Light Corps! “
“So, could I ask what the problem is?”
“Nature run amuck, Ma’am. Like that old movie. Damn crow flew into the live wire. Caused the transformer to go.”
“My goodness,” Nancy exclaimed. Now, she thought, that did sound like her grandmother.
“Could take a few hours,” the Ticket Taker added.
Nancy nodded, and recognized she could not face this battle alone. The line-up behind her was increasing. Skyward, she saw more crows swarming.
She might never get home.
250 Words
@billmelaterplea
“Anubis?” Anna’s voice came over the line sounding tense and quiet.
“Anna? Why isn’t this your number? Where are you?”
“I’m at the Super Walmart off Harmony. I had to ditch my phone.”
I headed toward the Barn. “Why?”
She sighed. “Someone was tracking me. I don’t know who.”
“Did they see what you’re driving?” I stepped inside the doors.
“Yeah, but I’m leaving it in the Walmart parking lot. I need a ride because I don’t want them to follow me home or to the compound. Would you…come get me?”
An odd frisson of excitement and unease slid down my back. She wanted me to come get her? It was rare for me to play the role of knight-in-black-leather, but I at least had an ‘iron-horse’ Harley on which to do it.
“I’m coming. I’ll be there in forty-five minutes. I’ll text this number when I’m in the parking lot.” I passed the other members working on their bikes.
“Okay.” She sounded small and scared, and my heart knotted. Anna didn’t strike me as a woman easily spooked, but whatever had happened had rattled her. “Thanks, Anubis.”
“You’re welcome, Little Bird. Heart light, head up, be calm. I’m coming.”
I ended the call, shoved the phone in my pocket, and straddled my bike. Whatever had happened, she could not face this battle alone. And she wouldn’t have to. The Concrete Angels MC would have her back if I had anything to say about it, U.S. Marshal, or not.
250 ineligible #ConcreteAngelsMC words
@siobhanmuir.bsky.social
Ronan watched the late-night traffic on Dorchester. His contact in the DA’s office hadn’t minced words. Maura was squarely in Crensaw’s crosshairs.
He didn’t react to the soft tap on his office door. His nose had already announced his brother’s presence, the scents of a peat fire and hops preceding him. Overlaying their familial scent was a hint of the sea breeze, salty and full of sunshine. Ronan, feeling out of sorts, wondered what was making Mick so cheerful.
“You’re looking glum, Rone. What’s got’cha so bollocked?”
“And yer feelin’ right cheerful for a man who’s been collared twice now by the coppers.”
Mick laughed, deep and hearty, as he slapped Ronan’s shoulder. “Shite, man, do ya think they can keep me under lock and key when I’m as innocent as a lamb?”
Ronan very slowly turned his head and stared. Mick, used to his older brother’s ways returned the searing look with a cheeky grin. “We both know I didn’t do the cop or the girl.”
He paused and inhaled deeply. Mick’s expression immediately turned serious. “You’ve been with the pretty DA again.”
“I went to her office because they were stallin’ out your hearing.”
Mick grinned, his mood mercurial. “Ah, no wonder I was so precipitously escorted to the courthouse.”
“No, that was all Declan’s doing.” That’s when Ronan realized Maura was in deep trouble and she could not face this battle alone. He’d put her in danger. Now it was up to him to protect her.
****
250 Moonstruck Mafia/Boston Wolves WIP words
Silver James
Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSilverJames/
The Happily Married Sexist Pig
Watching the Olympic swimmers with their lithe bodies on TV got Mikey worked up, not because of their breasts, but in spite of them.
“You know, Chaucer has a line in one of his tales. As slender as a weasel. These women are slender as weasels,” he piped up. He glanced at Maria, with her legs draped over his on the sofa. “Aside from a promising naval career, what can these women expect with their flat chests?”
Eyes sharp like a ninja’s, ready to call out his sexist remark, she stared at him, her mouth a grimace. But she could not face this battle alone. Instead, she watched him meticulously pull and tug down her nylons as a valet might.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“I’m initiating an encounter with my wife here. I want to suck on your amazing titties.” He had adopted an accent, now playing a role in a romantic European drama. He glanced up at her after running a finger up her calf and then her thigh. Finally, his eyes met hers again. “Do you have got a problem with that?”
She chuckled at his garbled syntax, her grimace breaking into a smile, and was ready for him, her legs already parting as he climbed onto her and plunged his tongue between her lips and groped and grappled with her blouse.
226 words @ragtaggiggagon
Thom held his breath as mind-controlled soldiers marched by. He hated being in the middle of this the first time. Once again, he was here to see his daughter safely through. Only this time Thom was a much more conspicuous target than when he was a cat and, as extraordinary as Spooky was now, she could not face this battle alone.
“You’re not one of them, are you?”
Thom jumped at the voice from the now open door next to him but, fortunately, didn’t scream. One look at the portly man’s eyes confirmed he was not being controlled. Thom shook his head.
“Then get in here!”
The man gestured Thom inside. Instead, Thom peeked around the corner down the main street. The sisters were still in the lower town, while Spooky was probably at the river fort by now. He didn’t remember the sisters taking this long to get to the fort.
“I can’t,” Thom whispered back. “People are coming to save us, but they’re stuck in lower town.”
“You’re staying out there?”
“I have to.”
The man cleared his throat awkwardly.
“Ah, as long as you’re out there, some of us lost our signet rings in the chaos. We would pay handsomely for their safe return.”
That’s right!
“Do you have magic amulets?”
“A few?”
“Give me those upfront and I promise I’ll get your rings back to you.”
Thom was supposed to give the sisters magic amulets for finding signet rings. That should speed up their progress.
249 words
@davidaludwig.bsky.social
She could not face this battle alone. We all had to help her. Sarah had done so much for us over the years. Every time we had a problem she was there; with kind word a hug or a solution depending whatever we needed. Now she’d lost her job, her house had burnt down a month ago. We needed a plan to help her. I called all our friends.
The next day Luanne took her to lunch and a marathon of movies. We and 500 other people rebuilt Sarah’s home and contacted some people who were interested in the skills Sarah had. By 4 p.m. the house was rebuilt and three companies were chomping at the bit to hire Sarah. The companies would be calling her soon to offer the positions and she could take her pick.
This was the scenario I envisioned but of course this isn’t what happened 4 people showed up to rebuild and we restored the living room and the bathroom by the time Sarah came home to look at the damage.
Sarah had tears in her eyes when she saw the work we had done.
“We’ll spend some more time and get it all done,” we had all protested, sad that Sarah was crying.
“This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me!” Sarah cried.
We all said it wasn’t enough and that there was more we intended. Sarah was overjoyed and blubbered that she had the best friends ever.
247 Words
@SweetSheil
#ThursThreads is now CLOSED. Thanks to everyone who wrote this week and I hope to catch you next week.
Sorry I missed it!! I have to get used to looking in on Thursdays!!