Week 686 of #ThursThreads was a success, a remarkable feat for 13 solid years. Thank you to everyone who writes each week. You are why we’re still doing this. I’m truly grateful for all y’all!
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 server on Discord or the #ThursThreads Group on MeWe to keep up with news, etc.
Entries:
- Bill Engleson
- Silver James
- Kelly Heinen
- Joseph P. Garland
- Sheilagh Lee
- David A. Ludwig
- M.L. Gammella
- Eric Martell
- Dan Jones
- Siobhan Muir
Honorable Mentions
Kelly Heinen | Website
George says: This is an incredibly sweet tale about crossing over. The interaction between the protagonist and Beatrice was beautifully written and filled with compassion. In the end, while Humphrey Bogart may have made a momentary mark on Beatrice sparking a small laugh from the protagonist, crossing the veil to see her husband once more meant the world. This was a heartfelt tale and thank you for the opportunity to read this, Aightball.
M.L. Gammella | Website
George says: The tale captured the feeling of fear and dread perfectly. The energy of the scene was spot on to the tension of the moment happening right before Chloe’s eyes to the dread of what may be coming. So while the tale may be a bit of fan fiction, it captured the characters well and created a very memorable scene. Thank you, ML, it was highly enjoyable.
winner announcement
Week 686 Winner
George says: This is an adorable tale and who needs good armor anyway. I love Mourn and her shy and wishful energy. The tale was filled with excellent emotion that made me feel the trepidation and fear that Mourn had through her careful walk through the market until her eyes caught a glimpse of the dress that brought her such joy. This was a fabulous tale. Thank you for sharing it, David.
Mourn made the others uncomfortable. This wasn’t unexpected. Her family had made the good people of the world so uncomfortable that heroes rose up and exterminated them while then nine-year-old Mourn hid in terror.
Still, since she only knew the outside world from reading about it, it seemed prudent to venture forth in the company of others with first-hand experience. Fiona, Connor, and Roy seemed as suited to this purpose as any. And Mourn’s books indicated adventurers always appreciated having a wizard in their party.
“You might want to lower your hood,” Fiona glanced at Mourn. “You look a bit suspicious.”
“Oh… I thought it might be good to hide my horns and eyes.”
Fiona jerked her head toward Mourn’s back.
“The tail’s probably gonna give you away, anyway.”
As the four turned onto the town’s market street, Mourn lowered her hood with a sigh. She didn’t want to make anyone suspicious. And she certainly didn’t mean to make her companions jump. She screamed anyway.
“What!? What is it?” Connor clutched at his chest.
“It’s perfect,” Mourn breathed, pointing at a more gloriously macabre black dress than she’d ever imagined.
Fiona gagged.
“That’s a funeral dress. And it costs more than good armor.”
Mourn’s eyes shone at the vision on the other side of the glass.
“Do we have money?”
~~~~~~~
Congratulations THIRTY-FIVE TIME WINNER David, and Honorable Mentions Kelly and M.L.! Don’t forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it!
Pass on the great news on Facebook, Discord, MeWe, Bluesky, Mastodon, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the original tales HERE. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! 🙂
