Welcome back to the home of #ThursThreads for Week 712. Year Lucky 13! The last year of the cycle, the Moon Year. To those who keep coming back, I’m delighted to see you again!
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 Discord 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 US.
- 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 Bluesky, MeWe, Discord, and Mastodon, etc.
Our Judge for Week 712:
Dead Thing Specialist, Mining Geologist, and Gamer, George Varhalmi.
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And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together.
The Prompt:
“Never been there before.”
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 in the Moon Year. Good luck!
Eat Your Serial, Killer
“He was a writer?”
“That’s what he called himself.”
“Should I know his name?”
“He was a little under the radar.”
“What kind of stuff did he write?”
“Oh, he was a prolific son of a gun. Poetry, a billion tiny stories…I think they call them flash.”
“So he was a flasher. Like a weenie whacker?”
“Maybe once, according to his…his manifesto?”
“He wrote one of those?”
“Yup. Near as I can figure, he was one of those writers who had to write what he knew.”
“Seems reasonable.”
“Well, he mentions he wanted to write a western story. Never rode a horse before. Tried that. Nag got spooked, ran out on the highway, threw him, just before it collided with a semi. He had a broken leg. Horse was toast, of course.”
“Did he ever write the oater?”
“Yup. All about a city slicker getting thrown by a horse.”
“And breaking…?”
‘Yup.”
“Weird. What else did he say in his…?”
“That’s where it gets even more hinky. He wanted to write a story about a serial killer. Mentions that he had never been there before, that dark.”
“So, what did he get up to?” “He gets a tad cagey there…says he scouted out two possible victims…wrote about that…longer story of course. Set it aside. Wanted to write a cannibal tale.”
“Holy fishcakes…is that…?”
“Yup. Instead of becoming one, he found a couple into that…”
“And that’s what we have here?”
“Just the bones of the story.”
250 Words
@billmelaterplea
@sterlings-son-2.bsky.social
“The Seelie Court?”
“Never been there before.”
Sade shrugged. “Well, there’s a first time for everything.”
Aisling blinked owlishly behind her glasses. “You can’t be serious.”
“As serious as a heart attack. I’m tired of this sh—these shenanigans. I want answers. Since Titania is less than forthcoming, time to beard the king in his castle.”
“Oberon has a beard?”
“What?” Sade stared at the other woman.
“Why do you keep using trite metaphors?”
Sade rolled her eyes skyward and muttered, “Lord, save me from the librarians and English teachers of the world.” Focusing back on Aisling, she said, “You’re a nice girl and I’m trying not to cuss.”
“Why would you cuss?”
“Because beating people is frowned upon by my boss. And Sinjen thinks I should be more…”
“Refined?”
She burst into laughter. “That’s a lost cause. He’d settle for civilized.” Sade started walking.
Aisling hurried to fall in beside her. “Do you know where we’re going?”
“Vaguely.”
“So you’ve been there before.”
“I have. It’s been a while, though.”
“How long is a while?”
Hesitating, Sade finally replied. “I was four the last time I was here and a gargoyle made sure I got home.”
Aisling stopped dead in her tracks, mouth open, eyes wide. “Four? A gargoyle?”
“It’s a long, boring story.”
“But it might have relevance.”
“Fine. My mother was a showgirl in Vegas. She told Oberon I was his kid. Titania wasn’t happy.”
“Are you?”
“No.” But Sade was beginning to wonder about Aisling’s parentage.
****
250 Penumber Papers #6 WIP words
Silver James
https://silverjames.com
“Yeah. How, how’s it going with Grace? Did she like the cookies?”
Deshawn grinned. “Hell yeah. That was a good idea. She invited me back today, and we fixed her kitchen sink together.”
Jayson snorted. “Seems like a weird date idea, but as long as it works.”
“Nah, man, we were supposed to work on her kitchen cabinets, but the valve on the faucet broke, and that was a far more pressing issue.”
Jayson laughed, his pale skin rosy in the headlights. “I bet. I’m glad you helped her fix it. How’s it going with the whole Moonsinger vs. human discussion?”
“Uhm…” Deshawn rubbed the back of his head. “Yeah, I don’t know how to broach the subject with her. She’s lived in the human world of the U.S. military most of her life, and the Elder Races never showed up in her experiences. I don’t know how to explain who I am and who she is to me. Plus I’m running out of time.”
“Right. She’s headed home in a few more days. Where is she going again?”
“Montana. A little town called Broken Pass.” Deshawn shrugged.
“You ever been to Montana?”
“Nope, I’ve never been there before. I don’t think I even have any family out that way.”
Jayson nodded and let his gaze drift off toward Three Lakes. “Well, if you decide to head out that direction, I may have contacts with a nearby pack who can make introductions to the locals. If it’s something you’re considering.”
250 ineligible #SirensInc words
https://patreon.com/SiobhanMuir
In Lieu of Detention
Sylvester had been pacing outside the office door when I passed him, stopped, did a dramatic double-take, and returned to stand before him.
“It’s not like you,” I said.
“I’ve never been here before.” He shrugged, pure snark masquerading as sincerity.
“I’m not surprised you’ve never been there before because you’re usually so cool and collected.”
He was, it seemed, waiting for Mr. Magilligan’s return to determine what punishment would be meted out.
“What did you do, anyway?” I asked.
“Awww just…” Another shrug. “You know.”
“No. I don’t know. You’ll have to tell me.”
“I called Miss Baskins a ho.”
“To her face?”
He nodded.
“Right. So Miss Baskins sent you here. That’s a good call, in my view. And why did you do that?”
“Why’d I call Miss Baskins a ho?”
I nodded.
Sylvester sighed. A third shrug.
“She sucked off one of the senior boys.”
“She what?”
“Bible.”
“So you’re gonna tell… you’re gonna let Mister Magilligan… you’re gonna tell…?”
“Yep.” He was curt now, quiet. Ready. Waiting.
“Look,” I said, extending an arm to his shoulder. He shrugged my hand away. “Maybe we can talk, you and me? Instead of you… and Mr. Magilligan, I mean?” I looked around to see if anyone else was nearby. “This is my wheelhouse.”
“What you mean?” Sylvester asked.
“Well… I am the Head of Drama.”
He laughed, nodded, and we moved out into the schoolyard.
Sylvester wasn’t to know, but I was also engaged to Miss Baskins.
248 words
@ragtaggiggagon
She lay beside me, on her back, slowly regaining control over her breath and her vision, her eyes still vaguely gazing at the ceiling as mine grazed to take in the full measure of her. There was a sudden chill in the air, and I savored the interregnum before we’d have to pull the blanket over us.
Recovered, or nearly so, she looked at me, and my eyes caught hers.
“Don’t look so damn satisfied with yourself,” she said.
“Me?” I said in my defense, though I knew she was right, which didn’t prevent me from saying, “You seem pretty damn satisfied yourself.”
She let her head drop back to the pillow and whispered to the ceiling, “Indeed I am. Indeed I am.”
I took her hand, our fingers entwined and me too now on my back. She smiled and said, “I have never been there before.” Truth be told, neither had I. I was pretty sure, though, that we both be back there.
Never Been There Before, 164 words, @jpgarlandauthor
Kazuya didn’t believe he’d been abducted by aliens four years ago. But, looking around the ship now, it wasn’t exactly like he’d never been there before either.
“Hime-sama! I must protest bringing a human aboard! Especially that one!”
The balding, middle-aged uncle shot Kazuya a dour look before returning his attention to Himeko—the cute girl Kazuya’s age that the teen had just saved from twenty-foot black squid in a back alley. It was taking all of Kazuya’s self-control not to try opening the ship up to reverse engineer it.
“Uncle,” Himeko shook her head. “This is the second time he’s been caught in one of the Demon Queen’s attempts on my life. We owe him some explanations.”
Explanations sounded good. Demon Queen sounded bad.
Kazuya glanced around the ship interior so advanced that even he wasn’t sure what everything did. Then at the uncle and niece that looked as out of place aboard it as Kazuya himself.
“You two aren’t from around here, are you?”
The uncle grumbled under his breath, eyes boring into Kazuya. Himeko smiled gently.
“No. Our solar system is quite distant from this one.”
Kazuya hummed appreciatively. That fit with what he suspected the ship to be capable of.
“And you’re using holographic projectors to appear human?”
Himeko’s eyes widened. Her uncle’s scowl deepened.
“How did you–?”
Kazuya grinned.
“Technology talks to me.”
229 words
@davidaludwig.bsky.social
Never been there before, people say: I’ve answered with sympathy. Here I was in that predicament, my people were off living their good lives, while I had the worst day of my life with no one in sight.
First of all, I was fired. I came home my wife had emptied our joint savings and taken all the furniture. I felt like I was dying, so I called an ambulance. When I get to the hospital, they told my health care was canceled this afternoon. Turns out it was just anxiety, lucky me with a huge hospital bill and an ambulance ride I had to pay. Walking home in the pouring rain, I was amazed to find the lights all on. I went in thinking okay, what now, was I being robbed?
Inside I found a pregnant girl she couldn’t have been more than sixteen.
“I’m sorry it was raining and thundering and I think my baby is coming,” she cried, all in one breath.
“Where are your parents? Or the father of your baby?” I asked.
“They kicked me out and my boyfriend dumped me,” she blurted, between pains.
Georgia gave birth to a baby girl on my floor.
“I’ve never been here before, how am I going to look after Miranda?”
I took stock I could find another job and help this kid get back on her feet to parent her kid. I’d never been here before either, but maybe this is just where I needed to be.
250 words @sweetsheil.bsky.social
#ThursThreads Week 712 is now CLOSED. Thanks to everyone who wrote this week and I hope to catch you next week.