Week 371 of #ThursThreads had many fantastic tales. I’m honored to see all the writers come to tie a tale as we start our eighth year. If you’ve been doing it a while, thank you. If you’ve just found us, welcome! May you come back again and write more great flash. Thousand thanks to Luanne Bennett for judging this week. Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook or the #ThursThreads Group on MeWe to keep up with news, etc.
Entries:
- Katheryn J. Avila | @katheryn_avila
- M.T. Decker | @mishmhem
- Kel J. Heinen | @Aightball
- Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir
- Mason Bushell | @MBWorkhouse
- Bill Engleson | @billmelaterplea
- Cara Michaels | @caramichaels
- Silver James | @SilverJames_
- Terry Brewer | @Stories2121
- David A. Ludwig | @DavidALudwig
- Mark A. Morris
- Mark Ethridge | @mysoulstears
- Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
Honorable Mentions
M.T. Decker | @mishmhem
Luanne says: Shows that there is hope and others may not understand, but don’t give up.
Mason Bushell | @MBWorkhouse
Luanne says: cute and either a complete short or a good part of a longer story.
Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
Luanne says: Possible what many people feel like. But the choice is yours and nobody else.
Winner Announcement
Week 371 Winner
Luanne says: I want more. Short but kept me guessing. Who is in charge of the sands? A child.
The near-silent drip of sand against glass echoes around me. Thousands of shelves hold hour glasses, the sand telling how much longer every human has left. And in charge of it all is Maddie, a fourteen-year-old girl who died of cancer.
Maddie puts her dust rag down. “Gonna be a busy night.”
“Oh?”
“Had, like, a hundred hour glasses float up this morning.”
“Well, busy makes the night go faster.”
She’s not herself today and I’m not sure if I should ask why; teenagers are touchy about feelings. But then the tears start to fall.
“What’s wrong?”
She points to an hour glass on her desk. ‘Abby Glassmaker’ is etched on the front, with her picture. It takes me a second to see the resemblance.
“Why is it Mom’s turn?” She wipes her eyes.
I pull her into a tight hug, my eyes subconsciously roaming to find my mom’s hour glass. “When the hour glass rattles, it’s time to go.”
Maddie holds me for a long time, fresh tears wetting my shoulder. That’s the downside to her job: she was bound to know when it was her parent’s time.
“Thank you.”
Confused, I blink. “For what, hon?”
She pulls back, wiping her eyes. “You waited with me. Thank you.”
I take a deep breath. “Of course, sweetie. No way I was going to leave you alone.”
The door to the room opens and Maddie bolts into her mother’s arms. I slip out the back way, leaving them to their reunion.
~~~~~~~
Congratulations Seven Time Winner Kel, and Honorable Mentions M.T., Mason, and Sheilagh! Don’t forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it!
Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, MeWe, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the original tales HERE. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! 🙂
