Tag Archives: Flash Friday Fiction

Flash Friday Fiction: Poetic Justice

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Demolition. CC2.0 photo by Maureen Didde.
Demolition. CC2.0 photo by Maureen Didde.

Poetic Justice – 150 words

“There once was a man from Nantucket…”

No, no, no. That will never do.

“Once Upon A Midnight Dreary…”

Right. Like THAT’s never been done before. Nevermore.

“Oh, Sally Sue, I love you true,
My love is never ending.
That you and I and Phil and Stu…”

Phil and Stu? WTF?

“‘Twas once a time ago I thought I felt
A glimmering of love so true for you.
Beneath your tender gaze, I thought I’d melt,
Right down into a big green pile of goo…”

Ugh. I’m certainly no Shakespeare.

“So that night that you and I, like, got totally drunk and smashed face and stuff? That was the Best. Night. Ever. Could we, uh, totally do it again?”

Not exactly poetry. But truth.

*ping*

She texted me!

“Roses are red, violets are blue,
Never again do I want to see you.”

Crap. Figures. She’s a better poet than I.

We had 150 (+/- 10) words to draft a story inspired in some way by this week’s book:  Douglas Adams’ wacky scifi classic, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, in which the rather ordinary but not overly eager to be annihilated human Arthur Dent is swept away on galactic adventures.

Not claiming this is my Best. Work. Ever, but after missing last week, I just couldn’t stomach the idea of not writing this week – even though I’m eyebrows deep in edits for A Matter of Time. Of the story element choices below, I picked “the worst poet in the universe,” and “foolishness/miscommunication.” Though in hindsight, I’m wishing I’d worked the number 42 in there somewhere…

Story elements (base your story on any TWO of these elements; be sure to tell us which two you chose. Reminder: please remember the Flash! Friday guidelines with regard to content; and remember please do not use copyrighted characters).

* Conflict: man v man (not gender or species specific)
* Character (choose at least one): an ordinary person swept away on an epic adventure; a depressed robot; the worst poet in the universe; a charismatic hedonistic narcissist; a professional hitchhiker
* Theme (choose one): satire, foolishness, science, adventure, miscommunication
* Setting (choose one): a house about to be bulldozed; a spaceship; an odd restaurant

Take an epic adventure yourself on over to Flash Friday Fiction, and read (and perhaps comment) on some of the other amazing flash stories – or, you know, like, totally craft one of your own!!!

 

Flash Friday Fiction: Captain Oblivious

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Male body builder Maurice Deriaz, 1906. CC4.0 photo from La Culture Physique, courtesy of Wellcome Images.
Male body builder Maurice Deriaz, 1906. CC4.0 photo from La Culture Physique, courtesy of Wellcome Images.

Captain Oblivious – 150 words

How can she not love me? Am I not manly enough? Do these guns not bring all the girls to my yard? Is she not impressed by the size of my … thighs?

Every day, I don this cape, save this city, and what do I get in return? Nothing. Barely a glance, rarely a nod, those magnificent eyes always sweeping past me to something — someone? — beyond.

I could best Superman in strength, Spiderman in dexterity, the Hulk in armwrestling. She doesn’t care.

Let Captain America have his shield, Batman his Batmobile, Ironman his ridiculous suit. I’m greater than all of them combined.

And yet, she’s captured me as if with that blasted lasso, this Wonder Woman.

She insists we’re friends. Superfriends.

Ha. As if that’d ever be enough.

Robin says Cheetah’s more than an archenemy to her. Liar. He just wants in my tights.

As I want in hers.

After an accidental week’s hiatus (life happens), I’m back with my tale of exactly 150 words (as required).

As the Flash Friday website says,

“This week’s novel inspiration, reaching far, far back in time: The Iliad, Homer’s 3,000-year-old epic tale of the spectacular clash of gods and heroes surrounding the fall of the city of Troy.

Story elements (base your story on any TWO of these elements; be sure to tell us which two you chose. Reminder: please remember the Flash! Friday guidelines with regard to content).

* Conflict: man v man (not gender specific)
* Character (choose one): a prideful superhero, a hot-tempered king, a mighty warrior, a soothsayer, the most beautiful woman in the world, the kidnapped daughter of a priest
* Theme (choose one): the glory of war, mortality, fate vs free will, friendship
* Setting: a besieged city

OPTIONAL PHOTO PROMPT (for inspiration only; it is NOT REQUIRED for your story)”

I went with conflict (kind of), character (prideful superhero, most beautiful woman in the world), and theme (friendship).

What do you think?

 

Flash Friday Fiction: Cock-A-Doodle THIS!

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traveler

Cock-A-Doodle THIS! – 206 words

“Why did the chicken cross the road?” you wise-asses always joke.

No one ever asks about the rooster. No, forget the bloody rooster. I’m just comic relief, providing nicknames for male genitalia, supplying funny sounds for children to imitate (no self-respecting rooster actually SAYS cock-a-doodle-doo; don’t you people listen?), strutting my way around the henhouse. So you think.

Cockerel, I tell you.

Do you know what I do in my off time? It’s all subterfuge, sitting high on this fence day after day, pretending to guard those ridiculous hens below. They’d never leave the yard if given the chance. Scaredy cats. Oh, wait. Wrong species.

You think I’m following centuries-old hormonal directions, guarding my progeny from attack. Ha. I’m planning my escape. I’ve had enough, always voicing the alarm with nobody listening. Don’t you SEE what’s happening, what they’re doing? Bunch of chickens.

It’s a dog-eat-dog world, and I ain’t goin’ down with the chicken livers. They ain’t making no capon of me.

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

So I’m off to Hollywood, to lights, stardom, fame, acclaim. If that idiot Foghorn Leghorn can succeed, I’m a shoe-in.

As soon as I figure out how to get across this road.

This week’s novel inspiration: Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer’s bitingly clever collection of tales by a colorful troupe of pilgrims — as a contest, no less, with a free dinner as the prize.

Story elements (we have to base our story on at least two of these elements)

* Conflict: man v man
* Character (choose one): a knight on a quest, a patient wife, a treacherous wife, three foolish gamblers, a talking rooster, a saint who survives execution
* Theme(s) (choose one): subterfuge, corruption, justice, pranks, courtly love
* Setting: long road en route to a shrine

I chose character (talking rooster, obvs), theme (subterfuge), and setting (a long road en route to a shrine – because Hollywood’s a shrine, right?), and stuffed them all into a story fitting the limits of 190-210 words.

What do you think? Is my tail (er, I mean tale) anything to crow about?

Cockeral waltz your way on over to Flash Friday Fiction to check out the other stories, comment, or maybe add one of your own!

Flash Friday Fiction: If You Can’t Beat ‘Em …

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crawford-gilbert-1928
Joan Crawford & John Gilbert; publicity photo for the film “Four Walls,” 1928. Public domain image in the U.S.

If You Can’t Beat ‘Em … – 148 words

I was jealous. Damn jealous. Wanting the gold to myself. Wanting to wrap myself in it, luxuriate in its weight, let those baubles trickle through my fingers.

But no. It was you. Always you. You got the dresses, the earrings, the fame. I was merely background, my sober demeanor matching my black and white formalwear.

Am I not pretty? Is my hair not as perfectly coiffed as yours, Brilliantine securing its rippling waves? My eyebrows have not your arch, I concede, but my lipgloss catches the light better than your matte finish.

I wanted to garb myself in flowing robes of glittering delight, to paint my face all the colors of the rainbow, to revel in the beauty of my own fine form.

The closest I got was embracing you.

Why else do you think I married you?

I didn’t want your body, darling.

I wanted your closet.

This week’s novel inspiration: The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s tragic tale of excess and social upheaval in 1920s America as portrayed by the nouveau riche Jay Gatsby’s obsession with the married Daisy Buchanan.

Story elements (base your story on any TWO of these elements; be sure to tell us which two you chose. Reminder: please do not use copyrighted characters).

* Conflict (choose one): man vs man; man vs society
* Character (choose one): nouveau riche, jealous husband, shallow socialite
* Theme(s) (choose one): obsession, prohibition, the limitations of wealth
* Setting: 1920s New York

I chose character (jealous husband) and theme (obsession, and prohibition, of a sort), for this week’s tiny tale. Stories had to be between 100-150 words. What do you think of my silly offering?

Please style your way on over to Flash Friday Fiction to check out the other entries, and perhaps leave a comment or two for the very talented writers there!

Flash Friday Fiction: Brotherly Love

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Lyme Park House & Estate. CC2.0 photo by Purpura Mare Asinus.
Lyme Park House & Estate. CC2.0 photo by Purpura Mare Asinus.

Brotherly Love (255 words)

“There’s a ghost in there.”

“Is not.”

“Is, too! My brother says so. Says it’s a lady who died.”

“How?”

“I dunno. But she was pretty, he says.”

“Girls, pretty? Yech.”

“Sometimes I think Abby McAllister is pretty.”

“I’m telling! I’m telling!”

“Better not. Or I’ll tell your mom about the time you peed in the vent and blamed the cat.”

silence

“That’s what I thought. Wanna go in?”

“In? What for?”

“To see the ghost, dummy.”

“Uh, there might be spiders in there.”

“Yeah, there might also be treasure. C’mon, ya chicken.”

“Frankie?”

“Yeah?”

“I don’t feel so good about this. I … I think something just touched me.”

“What, like a creepy hand?”

“Yeah! Like a creepy hand!”

“Geez, I was just kidding. Calm down.”

“But … but …”

“I swear, there’s nothing in here.”

“Wait, did you hear that?”

moaning

“Uh, yeah. Yeah, I did.”

“Look who’s peeing now.”

“Let’s get out of here!”

“I can’t – something’s got me!”

“What do you mean, something’s got you?”

“Mmmppffh–”

“Frankie? Frankie!”

silence

“OhmyGodohmyGodohmyGod. I … I … swear on my mother’s grave, I’ll … I’ll do whatever you want. I’ll go to church every Sunday. I’ll help old ladies cross the street. I’ll …”

“… Do your brother’s chores for the next six months?”

“Yeah, yeah! Just let me out of here.”

shuffling noises

“Frankie, is that you?”

“I am the ghost of Frankie Past!”

“Aaaaaaaaaa! I’m getting out of here!”

running feet

“Frankie?”

“Yeah?”

“Here’s that twenty bucks I promised. Totally worth it.”

This week’s novel inspiration: Hound of the Baskervilles, Arthur Conan Doyle’s tale starring celebrated detective Sherlock Holmes, who uses his (arrogant) genius to solve murders against a backdrop of a legendary, terrifying hellhound.

Story elements (base your story on any TWO of these elements; be sure to tell us which two you chose. Reminder: please do not use copyrighted characters).

* Conflict: man vs man
* Character (choose one): arrogant detective, retired doctor, a lord under a family curse
* Theme(s) (choose one): cunning, guilt, superstition
* Setting: isolated country manor

We got 240-260 words to tell our story, based on at least two of the story elements listed above. I chose conflict, theme, AND setting. I wanted to write a story that was entirely dialog. This one, I guess, is 95% so, since I offered some stage direction. What do you think?