Week 581 of #ThursThreads, and y’all never disappoint. We’ve made it 11 years! Well done and thank you to everyone who writes each week. You made this happen. If you’ve just found us, welcome to the crew! You’re in good company. May you come back again and write more great flash. A thousand thanks to Daelyn Morgana 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:
- Bill Engleson
- Sheilagh Lee
- Mark A. Morris
- Silver James
- Eric Martell
- Siobhan Muir
- Mark Ethridge
- Lexikonical
- David A. Ludwig
- M.T. Decker
Honorable Mentions
David A. Ludwig | Website
Daelyn says: This was a fun tale. I was waiting for that other shoe to drop the whole way through, and it did not disappoint. There were some excellent descriptions, especially in relation to the hero’s stealth, to go along with it. Well done.
Lexikonical | Website
Daelyn says: The twist at the end is what made this tale fun. I think Rafe is about to get his world rocked a second time. I loved the line about the “little slip of a woman” never being noticed following, too. It ties nicely to the ending twist. Nicely done.
winner announcement
Week 581 Winner
Daelyn says: There was something very poignant and meaningful to this tale that really tugged at me. The ending was a perfect fit to that feel. I am always so curious about the world surrounding these Machines, too. Beautifully done.
The machines, ubiquitous as they were on Cylinders, made a small hut for Sunshine to sleep inside, on a mattress, as opposed to outside on the hard ground. Being curious, they asked her, “Where are you going?”
“I don’t know.” She sat on the mattress and thought about where to go next. “I’ve reached the limit of the flooding. I didn’t find any towns or villages. Everyone is safe that I can tell. So what do I do next?”
The machines didn’t answer her. They left the question open, for her to answer.
“I’ll return to following the ocean along the coast.” It meant she would have to backtrack for the first day, to reach the ocean, where the earthquake had happened.
The machines finally spoke, “Head south as you head back. It will bring you to the ocean, south of the mountains.”
She smiled. “South of the volcanic zone, yes?”
“Yes.”
“I wonder. Does Mystica know what the world looks like?” There was no answer. “I know Merlin knows.” She wondered why Merlin had told her to see the world. “What does Merlin think I will find?”
As she slept that night, she had a dream of searching for something. Something she could not find, no matter where she looked. As she searched, she heard Merlin talking, “You will never find what you seek outside. It does not exist in the world.”
~~~~~~~
Congratulations TWENTY-ONE TIME WINNER Mark, and Honorable Mentions David and Lexikonical! Don’t forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it!
Pass on the great news on Facebook, MeWe, Bluesky, Mastodon, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the original tales HERE. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! 🙂
