Week 638 of #ThursThreads was a success, and y’all never disappoint. Thank you to everyone who writes each week. You are why we’re still doing this, and why we’ve made it 12 YEARS!
If you’ve just found us, welcome to the crew! May you come back again and write more great flash. A thousand thanks to George Varhalmi for judging this week. Follow Siobhan Muir on Bluesky or check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook or the #ThursThreads Group on MeWe to keep up with news, etc.
Entries:
- Kyle Van Horn
- Bill Engleson
- Sheilagh Lee
- Joe Hesch
- Richard Eccles
- Kelly Heinen
- Siobhan Muir
- Mark Ethridge
- Mark A. Morris
- Silver James
- David A. Ludwig
- Miranda Gammella
- KM Idamari
Honorable Mentions
Silver James | Website
George says: The energy of the scene was smooth and the tale flowed very nicely with a great ending. The tale captured the energy of being in the zone completing a task without any track of time. The twist of what her mind thought to whom she saw was great. DJ’s gonna have to watch out for them feds, they are squirrelly folks. Great tale, Silver, thank you for writing it.
Mark A. Morris | Website
George says: A game of who swindles the swindler. Will the glue hold in time or will the papers and provenance get the victory? That’s the question. It seems like these two dealers have had their fair share of one upping the other. The tension was great in the tale with an added dash of fear on both sides to me. This was a fun tale and one I enjoyed reading, thank you Mark.
Joe Hesch | Website
George says: This is a sweet and emotional tale. One that I have caught myself reflecting on from time to time. I loved the sincerity between both of them. While time may fly by, these two have fond memories of the adventure. Thank you, Joe, this was a sweet and heartwarming tale.
winner announcement
Week 638 Winner
George says: The devil having to wait for the repairman. That was awesome. The tale was delightful and humorous from beginning to end. It was a true pleasure to read. The imagery of the devil hunkered down in quilts and mittens sold the tale just right. Now he’s just got to hold out one more day (hopefully) till the repairs get done. I do not know if he has the resolve or strength to do so. Thank you, Kelly, it was a pleasure.
Despite turning up the thermostat, whacking it, and calling it names, the digital display stubbornly says 58. All of the furnace repair places are booked, since apparently everyone’s furnace quit on the same day. Joy. I’d start a fire but there’s no fireplace and I don’t want to suffocate from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Instead, I hunker down under two thick quilts, trying to type with mittens on; work doesn’t quit because the furnace goes out. I try to ignore the fact my nose is numb.
“Group one is arriving. Also, level five has no heat.”
“No one has heat. I’ve called every repair place and it’s a minimum two days wait.”
People think I can wave my hand and things are fixed; I’m the Devil, not a magician. I’m at the mercy of repairmen, same as everyone else.
“Stan! Group two arrived early!”
My secretary swings the door open, angry voices of the damned filling my office. Shit. Shedding my blankets with great reluctance, I walk into the reception area, suddenly over capacity.
My secretary and I call off names and as always, there are people in the wrong place. I pull five people to the side and one elderly woman taps me on the arm.
“They do go quickly, don’t they? My husband is waiting for me and has probably starved without my cooking!”
“They go as fast as possible,” I say, smiling. “If you’re in line one, follow me!”
Shivering, I hope that repairman comes a day early.
~~~~~~~
Congratulations TWENTY-FOUR TIME WINNER Kelly, and Honorable Mentions Silver, Mark, and Joe! 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! 🙂
