Welcome back to the home of #ThursThreads for Week 720. 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 Facebook.
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 720:
Computer IT master, flashfiction writer, and human, Mark Ethridge.
And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together.
The Prompt:
“I have more if you need it.”
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!
The Glutton
As a middle child he never had enough. Of anything. His appetites were voracious. Every meal was a race to the finish. His parents would urge him to take his time. “Slow down, darling. Chew your food.“
He failed to listen.
In the beginning, given his size, they were able to control him to a degree.
Once he began public school, his behaviours became more challenging.
Never satisfied, he would steal the lunches of his classmates.
He was constantly being sent home.
The educators and his parents were at their wits end.
They asked the family doctor for advice. He admitted that he was unfamiliar with such behaviour. “Perhaps a specialist in a bigger city might be called upon to examine him.”
The specialist had only one suggestion. “Military school. Best way to smooth out his rough edges. They don’t tolerate excess.”
Money was not an issue for them and so they sent him away.
Their home life improved.
His older brother and younger brother rarely talked about him.
Life was good…for them.
To ensure that he was compliant, they allowed him unlimited access to funds.
He was able to buy anything he wanted.
Food!
Loyalty!
Revenge!
He learned that everything had a price.
He also learned that almost everyone could be bought.
“I have more if you need it,” he would tell his fellow soldier-students. “Money is no object.”
The years sped by.
He had no limitations.
The world was his oyster.
And he ate it raw.
250 Words
@billmelaterplea
@sterlings-son-2.bsky.social
“Listen, Anna, according to my granny, we’re Scotch Irish, which means if we’re not drinking or fucking, we’re fighting.” Lora laughed as she flipped back her brown braid. “But really, it meant whisky and whiskey got together to hate on the English… Or the Cowboys, or the Deflatriots as my dad calls them, or the Epstein Class. Whatever. But it also means we’re loyal and true, and will do anything needed for our friends. That’s you, by the way, if you didn’t catch my meaning.”
I laughed, trying to ignore my throat closing at her words. “I know, and I love you for it.”
“I love you, too, and don’t you forget it.” Lora wrapped her arms around me from behind, her gray eyes sparkling. “I know you’ve been mourning Coop all this time, and I’m so sorry he’s gone, but you know you can talk to me about whatever’s going on anytime, right?”
I swallowed against the huge lump in my throat and nodded. “Yeah, I know. You’re my ride-or-die.”
“That’s right. Loyal to a fault. Great, strong, and true, and with the most fabulous hair.” She tossed her braid again, the light catching on red and gold strands in the brown.
I had to distract her away from the sappy stuff or I’d ruin my makeup with tears. “Not to mention attitude.”
Lora drew herself up, lifting her chin. “Hell yeah. I have more if you need it for today’s events.”
243 ineligible #ConcreteAngelsMC words
https://patreon.com/SiobhanMuir
Yuuchi didn’t care for the most familiar thing around, besides his companions, being skeletal gaunts menacing civilians. Buildings made of metal and glass towered too high over ground covered by smooth, hard stone. He wasn’t even sure how one would make most of what the civilians were wearing. At least the gaunts went down as easily as ever. A one-two strike from Yuuchi’s tanbos broke another gaunt’s cohesion and the fiend disintegrated away.
“How’s that!?” he whirled on the remaining gaunts. “I have more if you need it!”
There was no way he was keeping up with Aalis’ phoenix power, though Raul seemed determined to, and Commander Ermengarde was predictably reliable in dropping a minimum one foe per thrust. At least Yuuchi was outperforming Kit and Prince Dana. Now that everything they’d ever known was gone, the Miduas Champion wasn’t sure if he still needed to keep up appearances. But it seemed like the best play until he knew otherwise.
He hadn’t even noticed when the Time Chamber had activated. They had each gone into their alcoves and suddenly the Devil Alarm had announced the return of the Hungry Legion. This is what they had agreed to; to be there to answer the invasion should the devils return to a world as unprepared for it as they had feared.
No matter how far in the future.
227 words
@davidaludwig.bsky.social
Macy struggled in the chair.
“I have more if you need it.” Chad held out the tape to Bud.
“No man, this’ll hold her.”
Bud checked her wrists, ankles, and mouth.
“I think we’re set.”
She started to growl.
“You sure this is going to work?” Chad asked.
“It has to, man. We did this to her, we have to undo it!”
Bud’s hands were shaking. He lay the book at her feet, open at a graphic they’d drawn in salt round the chair. He began lighting the candles in the star points. “You got that sheet? Start reading the words.”
Chad stood facing Macy, legs jigging, paper shaking in his hand. “Okay, but I don’t know if I’ll say it right.”
“Just say it, it’ll work. It did before.”
Chad started slowly, sounding out the words until he found a rhythm.
The candles flickered and Macy began to moan. As his pace picked up so did the air around them, ruffling the remains of their ripped clothing.
Bud joined Chad, reading the words with him, unconsciously touching his face where Macy’s falsies had ripped it open.
It came to a crescendo and Macy let out a scream, her head slumping forward.
“Is she okay?” Chad asked wide-eyed.
Bud undid the binding at her mouth and patted her cheek.
She let out a groan, and he jumped back.
Her head came up, eyes blinking. “Bud? What did you guys do?”
Bud glanced at Chad. “It’s okay, Macy, you’re okay now.”
250 words
@purplequeenpub.bsky.social
“I have more if you need it.”
Aisling hiccuped and waved her glass around. Carla snatched for it but missed. “Are you tryin’ t’get me drunk?”
Carla rolled her eyes at the slurred words and muttered, “You already are, chica.” Louder, she added, “Not offering more sangria. I’m talking about advice.”
“Nope. I don’t need advice. I’m just gonna pack my stuff and move.” Aisling nodded believing she looked as sage as she felt. “This town’s not big enough for the both of us.”
“Chica, are you even listening to yourself?”
Pausing to drain her glass, Aisling nodded, with emphasis this time. “Of course I am.” She hiccuped again. “Carla…” She wailed the name. “I propositioned him.”
Finally able to divest the glass from Aisling’s hand, Carla set it out of reach and took her friend’s hand. “This is not as big a deal as you’re making it.”
“Is too!”Aisling looked around wildly before focusing again on Carla. “He shut me down.” She turned the last word into multiple syllables. “How can I face him again?” Her eyes went wide as a sudden thought hit. “You’re a witch,” she breathed.
“Chica…” Carla’s tone held warning.
“You can whip up a love spell!” She nodded enthusiastically.
Carla sighed. “Witch magic don’t work so good on Fae, chica. And between you and me? I don’t want to piss off your Fae.”
“He’s not—” her voice hitched. “Mine.”
As he listened at the door, Ariel thought, Not yet but I will be.
****
250 Penumbra Papers #6 WIP words
Silver James
https://silverjames.com
Callie had met her neighbor in 27C a few times, if by “met” you meant “nodded at when we passed each other in the hall, each wearing headphones and avoiding eye contact. She didn’t know her name, though she was pretty sure she lived alone as well. There hadn’t been anyone with her neighbor during those awkward hallway interactions. She didn’t know if 27C was the kind of person who you could ask a favor of, but there wasn’t anything else she could think of to try. Callie held her jacket tightly closed with her left hand and grimaced as she raised her right to knock.
Footsteps, then the unmistakable sound of someone opening the peephole, then a whisper. “Holy fuck.”
“Hi.” Gods above and below, her voice was weak. “I’m umm, Callie. Err, 27D. Do you have any bandages or anything I could borrow?”
A pause.
“I mean, I guess I won’t be returning them.” The hallway grew blurry, and Callie shook her head sharply to regain focus. The footsteps again, this time going away from the door.
“Shit.” Maybe 27B? But he was a lecher. Callie wasn’t sure she could make it to 27A, though.
The door opened with a jerk, and her neighbor was holding out a First-Aid kit and some towels.
“I have more if you need it.”
Callie tried to say thanks, but her tongue felt too think to speak. She felt hands holding her up, guiding her inside. Then blackness.
246 words
@drmag00.bsky.social
#ThursThreads Week 720 is now CLOSED. Thanks to everyone who wrote this week and I hope to catch you next week.