Week 711 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 Julia Talbot for judging this week. Follow Siobhan Muir on Bluesky or check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction server on Discord or the #ThursThreads group on Facebook to keep up with news, etc.
Entries:
- Bill Engleson
- Gora Shade
- Sheilagh Lee
- David A. Ludwig
- Silver James
- Mark Ethridge
- Siobhan Muir
Honorable Mention
Gora Shade | Website
Julia says: The ending on Others made me actually laugh out loud.
winner announcement
Dark Days
I’d been hanging tough in a trash-littered alley for three hours. The noontime sun was squeaking through, the blistering heat pounding my brain like Buddy Rich was there soloing his famous West Side Story medley.
Leaning against the side wall of Jack’s Tricks of the Trade, I had a clear view of Sol Hempfield’s Grocery Store.
I admit it. I had fallen on hard times. Business was in the dumpster and no one wanted their garbage picked up.
Then a bright spot.
A ten-spot, you might say.
Yesterday, he popped into my doorway, all four feet whatever of him. Big glasses, skinny as a straw, saying, “Can I hire you?”
I was tempted to say, I don’t babysit, but I held fire. Irony is usually lost on children. I read that once. So I asked, “To do what?”
He got right down to business. “You know Sol Hempfield’s store?”
I nodded ,”Yeah. Sol’s dead, right?”
“New owners, “ the kid replied.
“News to me. So?”
“That’ s where I buy candy. All the kids in the neighbourhood do.”
“Good to know,” I muttered, getting bored.
“Everything’s smaller these days. Chocolate bars…jawbreakers, even. I want you to find out why. We’re getting robbed.”
I wanted to educate the kid, tell him that shrinkflation had hit every market but he offered me fifty bucks. I was desperate, never been there before, at least not at this level.
“I’m your man,” I said.
It’d be like taking candy from a baby.
~~~~~~~
Congratulations FORTY-SEVEN TIME WINNER Bill, and Honorable Mention Gora! 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! 🙂
