Week 662 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 more than 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 K.R. Van Horn 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:
- Bill Engleson
- Silver James
- Lupus Anthropos
- Kelly Heinen
- Mark A. Morris
- Mark Ethridge
- David A. Ludwig
K.R. says: The writing this week was the best I’ve encountered as a judge in this weekly contest. Seriously, several of the stories could have won, so it really came down to which ones tickled my emotions the most. They were…
Honorable Mention
Kelly Heinen | Website
K.R. says: I really loved this story! The whole idea of working for Death and hanging out with family at their visitations is so fresh and funny. Such a cool twist on a familiar setting. Cat’s voice is sharp and witty, and the way she thinks with her grandfather felt super natural and warm. I also related to the awkwardness around extended family and those “perfume clouded” hugs. Overall, a really enjoyable and clever little story!
winner announcement
Week 662 Winner
Lupus Anthropos
K.R. says: This story really hit home for me. I actually wrote something similar recently, so it’s close to my heart. I love how it shows memory loss without spelling it all out. That repeated prompt, “A name popped into her head,” feels so true and powerful, like you’re right there in her mind. The writing is simple and clean, which makes the emotions land even harder without being cheesy. The way everyday moments build up the whole experience is really clever.. like you’re walking through her confusion step by step. Heartbreaking. Real.
A name popped into her head.
Laura. She was Laura.
Someone knocked and opened the door.
“How are you doing today, Louise?”
“I’m Laura. Who are you?”
“I’m Gina, the morning nurse and you are Louise Johnston. I’m here to get you ready. Your son, Ron will be coming to visit you at eight thirty.”
“No, my name is Laura and I don’t have a son – only my daughter, Veronica.”
“Well, at least you managed to dress yourself. Breakfast will be here soon.”
The nurse left, closing the door behind her.
Louise sat down on her bed and picked up one of the cards from the nightstand.
“Love ya, Mom,” it said, and it was signed “Ron.”
She picked up another.
“Get well, Louise, from Darlene.”
She put both cards back onto the nightstand just as her door opened again. This time, a young man entered, pushing a cart that contained a small carton of milk, a sealed cup of orange juice, a plate with scrambled eggs and toast and a knife and fork. He transferred it all to the bedside table.
“Here’s your breakfast, Louise.”
A name popped into her head.
“I’m Linda. Who are you?”
He ignored her.
“Well, here’s your breakfast.”
He turned and left. Louise slowly ate her breakfast, taking time to read the cards from the nightstand again.
Just after she finished her breakfast, the door opened again. It was her son.
A name popped into her head.
“I’m Lisa. Who are you?”
~~~~~~~
Congratulations Five Time Winner Lupus Anthropos, and Honorable Mention Kelly! 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! 🙂
Wow! Thank you. I keep wanting to participate more often, but nowadays, Thursday is one of my busiest days. I get up at 3:45am and, by the time I get home, I often fall asleep and miss the deadline. Last week there was a brief lull in the market and I was able to write my entry then.
BTW, I had planned to enter the week before, as well, but fell asleep again. My idea was for it to be about someone playing golf and saying, “I don’t remember putting it there” as a play on words.
I’m glad to be seeing your writing again! Always a pleasure.