Week 705 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 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 Discord to keep up with news, etc.
Entries:
- Bill Engleson
- Kelly Heinen
- Siobhan Muir
- David A. Ludwig
- Silver James
- Mark Ethridge
Mentions
Kelly Heinen
K.R. says: Dark, absurd humor.. my cuppa yea. And sharp, believable sibling banter.
David A. Ludwig
K.R. says: Lean, suggestive worldbuilding, which I envy as a writer. Strong moral undercurrent. Well done.
Silver James
K.R. says: Clean. Engaging. Well done ensemble dynamics with a grounded emotional core. Real talent.
Mark Ethridge
K.R. says: First word that comes to mind is wry 🙂 Relatable observations. Pointed final jab. Loved it.
Siobhan Muir
K.R. says: Taut, high-stakes tension with emotional restraint. The ending hit me hard.
winner announcement
Week 705 Winner
K.R. says: Easy humor. Loved it. Then it gives way to a quietly devastating final line that recontextualizes everything.
The Five Messketeers
“We were camping out in Kaplan’s back yard that September,” I blurt out, ordering a third round.
Two heads nod. Old heads but still capable of some movement.
“Yeah, Jimmy Kaplan…wish he was still here…” Maggot laments.
“Hey, Mags, let’s got get all morbid,” I toss in and ask, knowing full well the answer, “What was that game we played? First time all five of us were allowed out all night, even if it was that stupid back yard?”
Maggot knows and lays it on us. “What’s the worse that could happen?” And then he yucks it up like he was still eight but wasn’t.”
“Yeah!” Walker slams the table with his arthritic paw. “God, we didn’t know there was a humongous ant hill on the other side of the fence.”
“Kaplan probably knew,” Maggot reveals… “had to…and didn’t think to mention…but they came.”
“And you had to squish a few,” Walker says, adding, “Kaplan had the answer to what’s the worse that could happen.”
“Ha,” I laugh. We’d all been to see that new giant ant film, THEM, at the Capital that summer. Our first movie and Kaplan’s mother was chaperoning in the back row making sure we didn’t scare ourselves to death, “Giant friggin’ ants for one. That might be worse than this.”
Of course, life did what it did. Took us in different directions…some for the better, some not. Kaplan five years ago and now our fifth Messketeer…Henson.
God, I’m getting tired of wakes.
~~~~~~~
Congratulations FORTY-FIVE TIME WINNER Bill! Don’t forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it!
Pass on the great news on Facebook, Bluesky, Mastodon, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the original tales HERE. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! 🙂
