Week 384 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 David A. Ludwig 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:
- Eric Martell | @drmag00
- Charlene Mertz | @rrats1231
- Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir
- Bill Engleson | @billmelaterplea
- Richard Gibney | @ragtaggiggagon
- Cara Michaels | @caramichaels
- Terry Brewer | @Stories2121
- Jo Hawk | @JoHawktheWriter
- Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil (first tale)
- Silver James | @SilverJames_
- Mark A. Morris
- Mark Ethridge | @mysoulstears
- David A. Ludwig | @DavidALudwig
- Dakota Trace | @dakota75
- Katheryn J. Avila | @katheryn_avila
- Daelyn Morgana | @DaelynMorgana
- Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil (second tale)
- M.T. Decker | @mishmhem
Honorable Mentions
Jo Hawk | @JoHawkTheWriter
David says: Details like Jake seeming older than ever before and it turning out to be years later were superbly setup and executed. In particular, the twist at the end being setup by the celebratory cliff jump—which made me nervous even while the story was still light and sweet—was exemplary.
Mark Ethridge | @mysoulstears
David says: You set up the perfect little slice of life tale that threatened to turn to horror, but the real twist was remaining slice of life. Bonus points for being seasonal!
Cara Michaels | @caramichaels
David says: I’m a sucker for the fantastic and epic feel of this one. Still, it’s Jesse and Joon’s sincere desire to help even though they’re both out of their depth that really drives this one home for me.
Silver James | @SilverJames_
David says: The details of Ms. Harrington’s outfit were the perfect way to setup the upset of her being the real badass. I was quite satisfied with how she handled herself as well!
winner announcement
Week 384 Winner
David says: This story struck me as one of those special accomplishments that is rare even in our circles. Your slow deliberate lead-in with the narrator’s red face lasting for hours set the scene perfectly. The way you play with the conversation with the doctor, always implying where the story is going before overshooting it dramatically at the end, was very compelling. Absolutely outstanding job on this one!
The doctor pushed the curtain aside as she stepped into the room. My face was bright red – had been for hours. If it lasts longer than four hours, contact a doctor.
Welp.
She smiled gently at me. “I spoke to your wife in the hallway. I know this is uncomfortable for you, but you understand we deal with things many people find embarrassing all the time.”
I couldn’t really speak, so I just nodded.
“Okay, let me see what’s going on here.”
I turned even redder and lifted the flimsy gown. The doctor’s eyes didn’t quite bulge, but they did widen. She recovered quickly, however, and spoke quietly. “I see she didn’t overstate the issue.”
Now I found my voice. “No, ma’am, she didn’t.”
“And it’s been like that for six hours?”
“Going on seven.”
“And what is your pain level? On a scale from one to ten?”
“You’d think it would hurt, but it doesn’t. Not even a one.”
“And it started as soon as you took the pill?”
“A little after. I know, I shouldn’t have ordered them over the internet, but my insurance wouldn’t cover them, and they’re so expensive. And, well, we were missing that part of our lives.”
“I understand. There’s no need to feel awkward about needing this kind of medicine.”
“Thank you.”
“But yes, we need to do something about this.”
“I don’t think that it being rainbow-colored seems healthy, does it?”
“Well, it could be worse.”
“How?”
That’s when it started flashing.
~~~~~~~
Congratulations TWELVE TIME WINNER Eric, and Honorable Mentions Jo, Mark, Cara, and Silver! 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! 🙂
