Welcome back to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked. Is it fall yet? It's Thursday again, so what should you be doing? Writing #FlashFiction, that's what! Welcome to Week 90 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Need the rules? Read on!
Here's how it works:
- The prompt is a line from the previous week's winning tale.
- The prompt can appear ANYWHERE in your story and is included in your word count.
Rules to the Game:
- This is a Flash Fiction challenge, which means your story must be a minimum of 100 words, maximum of 250.
- Incorporate the prompt anywhere into your story (included in your word count).
- Post your story in the comments section of this post
- Include your word count (or be excluded from judging)
- Include your Twitter handle or email (so we know how to find you)
- The challenge is open 7 AM to 7 PM Pacific Time
- The winner will be announced on Friday, depending on how early the judge gets up.
How it benefits you:
- You get a nifty cool badge to display on your blog or site (because we're all about promotion - you know you are!)
- You get instant recognition of your writing prowess on this blog!
- Your writing colleagues shall announce and proclaim your greatness on Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus
Our Judge for Week 90:
Fast walker, waterfall admirer, and science fiction romance author, Jessica E. Subject.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESSICA! :)
And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together.
“He could be the one.”
All stories written herein are the property (both intellectual and physical) of the authors. Now, away with you, Flash Fiction Fanatics, and show us your #ThursThreads. Good luck!
“Oh Jacoby, be careful with that boy.”
ReplyDeleteMy mouth dipped into a deep frown. “Mom, he needs a family. He’s got nobody but me. This is love, mom.”
“But to marry him? Look at all the trouble he’s been in! You’ve only known him, what? A year? And he’s a convicted felon!”
“Mom, come on! You love him, you said so yourself. And so what if he’s a convicted felon? Doesn’t he deserve a chance at love?”
Her silence dragged on forever. I know mom objects to me asking Jimmy, my recovering addict of a boyfriend, to marry me, but he could be the one. No, I take that back; he is the one.
“Well, all right. But if you regret this…” I flinched at the implied warning in her voice.
“I’m not going to regret this, mom. I love him. He’s clean and he’s vowed to stay clean.”
“Just be careful.”
“I will.”
We hung up, just in time for Jimmy to stumble in. His hair hung limp around his face, his clothes were torn and rumpled, and he smelled like yesterday’s trash. He was the one? Shaking my head, I took him to the bathroom, holding his hair as he vomited. He’d been clean until yesterday. Once I had him seated in the shower, I sighed; proposing would have to wait.
@Aightball
223
silly woman she shouldn't have trusted him Great story Aightball.
DeleteArrogance and Pride hid in the shadows between two buildings and watched Simon walk past, on his way to church. Arrogance grinned and Pride reminded him, “Patience, evil one. Patience.”
ReplyDeleteAfter Simon passed, the demons followed him, creeping silently between the shadows on the sidewalk, staying out of Simon’s sight. They could feel the delicious anger raging in Simon’s heart.
“He could be the one,” Pride whispered.
“He is the one.” Arrogance replied.
They listened as Simon muttered, “Homos, trying to corrupt my church. I’ll show them.”
Pride and Arrogance fueled Simon’s fire, as they whispered in his ears.
“The nerve of them, thinking we will tolerate their sin!”
“Thinking we don’t know the words of our Lord and Savior.”
“Men sleeping with men is a vile sin. It says so in the word of God!”
Simon went to his office in the church. Pride and Arrogance, hidden in his shadow, followed him. As he reviewed the notes for the lesson he would teach that day, he muttered to himself again, “I cannot let them corrupt God’s children.”
And Arrogance and Pride fueled his anger once again.
“Call them out by name!”
“Tell everyone they will corrupt the church.”
“Unless we remove them.”
In the service, Simon waited impatiently as he sang praises to God and Jesus above, and prayed for God to grant him the strength to do what he had to.
And when he stood before God’s children on that Sunday morning, Arrogance and Pride stood beside him.
250 Words
@LurchMunster
This gave me chills...it's so well written! The visuals were amazing! I also like what you did with the phrase there...well done!!
Deleteooh very well written LurchMunster
Delete“He could be the one.”
ReplyDelete“You think everyone’s the one, Bethany.”
“I do not.”
“What about Brett?”
“Brett was a mistake.”
“Andrew?” Caroline asked.
“A miscalculation.”
“What about Bob?”
“He was cute but a little crazy, all that counting and baby step talk.”
“Bethany you need to think about this, get to know them a little first.”
Bethany stamped her foot like a small child.
“I don’t want to wait.”
“No one wants to wait, but sometimes you have to. I’ll check out his suitability.”
“Fine, let’s go to Chateau Noir. It’s a restaurant, but he tends bar there.”
“A bartender, really Bethany?”
“He actually owns the restaurant and his tall and has a good income.”
Sometime later Bethany and Caroline crept into Chateau Noir and stood in line near the entrance of the crowded restaurant waiting for a table.
“Cute, very tall and has a good income,” Caroline commented approvingly.
“See and he’s good with children.”
Bethany and Caroline left and returned at closing time.
“Isn’t it a little late to be out?” Eric asked.
“Not really,” Caroline answered.
Bethany crept up on him and with surprising strength bent his body over, grasped his neck sinking her teeth into him, drinking deeply.
“Bethany, you promised you’d wait.”
“I couldn’t I was hungry, besides he’s perfect.”
Bethany then dripped her blood into the dying man. A few hours later the man opened his eyes. He stared at the petite little girl in front of him.
“Hello, new daddy,” Bethany cried.
@SweetSheil
250words
I did NOT see that coming! I like how you did that =)
DeleteLove this twist. I would love to read more.
Delete@Aightball - I like the direction you took this phrase. It's an all too common situation where I'm from. I know you're limited for words, but I would want to know why she believes he's the one. And you've got my curiousity peeked as to what she does next. Hope you continue this story! :)
ReplyDelete@LurchMunster Oh, you gave me the chills with that. Love the message and how you did it in so few words! Well done! :)
ReplyDelete@SweetSheil - Oh, I didn't expect that twist at all. Captured my attention! :) I'm curious about the POV though. Is the story in Bethany's POV?
ReplyDeleteCaleb stood apart, legs spread and braced, chin lifted, eyes glued to the horizon. He looked like one of her dad’s retrievers locked in on a pheasant. Adele wanted to sigh. Deeply. The man was beyond gorgeous. He appeared wild, untamed. And she wanted to brush the dark hair out of his melted-chocolate eyes. She’d never met a man who quickened her pulse and sent her imagination to places like rumpled beds…or panting, hot-doggy sex in the parking lot.
ReplyDelete“He could be the one.”
“Definitely.” Adele swallowed her sigh, praying Carl hadn’t heard. What was she thinking? Sex in the parking lot? Seriously? She didn’t know this guy at all. Caleb Jones. What kind of name was that? And there was something about him—something hard and unsettling that hit her right in the pit of her stomach. She wasn’t falling for him. She couldn’t!
“The guy shows up claiming to be an undercover Fed? I don’t buy it. I think he’s our perp. He knows too much about the fetishes and the murder victims. He led you straight to that rancher. You tell me how he did that, Deli.”
Caleb turned his head, staring at her partner until Carl trembled. Holy cow. Had he overheard their conversation? His gaze shifted to collide with hers and the corner of his mouth quirked in an insolent smile. Crap. Could he read minds, too?
“I don’t have to.” Caleb’s attention centered on her.
She was in so much trouble now.
-----
248 words probably going in the WIP
@SilverJames_
nice he sounds like fun
Delete@SilverJames_ Oh, I would like to meet him. ;) You left me wanting more! Hope you do add it to your WIP.
ReplyDeleteAliandra pulled out of his embrace and straightened her clothes. “What are you doing out here today?”
ReplyDelete“I came to—”
“Apologize, right? Again?” Aliandra shook her head and pushed past Drake to her car. “Better than an apology would be for you to just stay away from me. Then you wouldn’t have to keep saying you’re sorry you’re with me.”
She didn’t think vampires could go any whiter, but Drake’s skin mimicked the snow on the ground around them.
“I’m not sorry when I’m with you, which is the problem.”
“That’s a problem?” She bit back a snarl. “Oooh, I get it. It’s like a hangover. You only regret me in the morning after, right? Just leave me alone, Mr. MacGregor. I don’t have the time to waste on players. I’m too damn old.”
She dropped into her front seat and slammed the door just as he opened his mouth to respond. He could be the one who fulfills your dreams of family. Aliandra snorted and bitch-slapped her bleeding heart. “Not when he regrets every time he touches me. I won’t be a guilty pleasure.”
She started the ignition and threw the car into gear, but Drake leapt over the hood like an action-adventure star. He jerked her passenger door open so hard the metal protested.
“What in the Goddess’s name are you doing?” Furious dragonfyre rumbled in her gut and she held back the urge to torch him in the seat. “Get out of my car.”
248 ineligible #WIP500 words
@SiobhanMuir
Ooh but Drake brings out Aliandra's, dare I say, fiery temper? ;)
Deletewell that revs my engine lol.
DeleteLove how the vampire is the one being told off here! But he's not about to let her away with it. Great writing! :)
Delete“So who is he?”
ReplyDelete“He, who?” I stared blankly at Chandra. Nervous sweat prickled my armpits. She kept plucking the ivories, not even turning my way.
“The man you’re staring at hard enough to miss five minutes of my conversational brilliance.”
Oh, shit. My gaze slid left, to Tall, Dark, and Not Noticing Me.
“I’m sorry, Chan. I’m just out of it tonight.” I babbled. I brought my wine glass up, draining it in two swift gulps. “Rough day. Dead yeast totaled the spring seasonal. Fifty barrels gone because someone sanitized the tun for open heart surgery instead of beer brewing.”
Talking about work grounded me in the here and now, but Chandra didn’t roll with me.
“Uh-huh. That sure does suck.” Damn, I could hear it in her tone. The woman wasn’t going to let this go. Let him go. “Sounds like you could use some grade-A distraction, honey.”
“No, I couldn’t.” Did I sound panicked?
I refilled my wine, setting the bottle down with a thunk. Chandra held out her glass and I obliged.
“Live a little, Key. Go flirt with a boy. Maybe get laid.” She found my shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze. “He could be the one, you know.”
Her fingers swept over the piano, rousing the bar patrons as she began to play.
“He was the one,” I whispered. With him, I’d known adventure, magic, love. Without him?
I saluted him with my glass. Far politer than any other options I entertained.
@caramichaels
249 WIP words
Ahhhh, so she DOES know. :D
DeleteLol. Seems so. ;)
Deletenow I want to know what other options...great stuff.
DeleteGreat emotion in this! Keep going with it! :)
DeleteLena slumped into the booth and waved at the waitress carrying the coffee pot. Her skin burned as new runes worked their way into her flesh. She sunk deeper into her hoodie, and nodded as the waitress poured. She clutched the cup and sipped carefully as the shakes took her.
ReplyDelete"Are you okay?"
The voice came from a little behind her and as she turned to look, the shaking slowed and he frowned a bit and then stared at her. The burning eased and a blessed numbness covered her arms.
"I'm fine." She knew there would be a body. Ten times in ten weeks. Ten bodies. Ten new marks on her arms. Her insides were still a mess, but the pain that she had almost grown accustomed to was completely gone. That had never happened before.
"Do you mind if I join you?" He stood without waiting to answer and scooted into a seat across from her. He raised a finger to signal the waitress and Lena glanced down at the now empty mug.
"Thanks." She sipped the coffee slower this time and waited for him to speak again. She had been avoiding friends and it was an oddly welcome feeling to have someone talk to her. He reached across the table and before she could react, he pushed her sleeve up and stared at her arm.
"Death has been following you."
She jerked her arm away, pushing the sleeve back down. The last victim had still been alive when she got to her. Before she died, she grabbed Lena's hand and told her to find the man that could read the signs.
"Who are you?" His hair fell over friendly dark eyes. He looked strong but not one of those muscle bound types. Just a guy. Yet, there was something. The way the pain stopped when he looked at her. He could be the one.
316 words
Dee Martin
Wonderful! Love the intensity of this piece. :)
Deletethanks - not satisfied with it but I'm coming off a lonnnnng dry spell. It felt good just to stretch.
Deletewell I didn't understand the word limit and found that when I edited (thought I won't repost this time) it really did make it better. Hope I can play next time!
DeleteINVESTIGATION
ReplyDeletePolice Commissioner Virginia Autumn crossed her arms and waited for tech mogul Job Nathanson to stop stammering. His mansion sat on three thousand acres overlooking Haven, had virtually impregnable security systems, and rarely anyone other than the billionaire himself at home. This last point was illustrated by Job in his silk robe holding the doors open to the evening chill.
“We have a few questions. May we come in?” Virginia repeated slowly.
“Yes! O-of course!”
Job waved Virginia and Chester inside. Normally she preferred to bring Lin or Damon with her, but this was Chester’s lead and things were unlikely to go wrong.
After closing the doors, their host bustled ahead of them, mumbling something about if he’d expected company he would have had servants on hand, then something about drinks and a bar. Chester shrank down into his uniform, clearly awed by the digital displays of classic artwork and expensive wood paneling. Virginia wasn’t as impressed. She didn’t relate to the allure of material things.
“You’re sure about this, Chester?” Virginia asked aside.
The diminutive detective nodded rapidly. “He’s got the resources, the privacy, the intelligence and the time. He could be the one.”
Wishful thinking on Chester’s part, Virginia thought as they stepped into a shag-carpeted and mood lit room. He’d like the mysterious badass to be a brain, but there was no way this stick of a man who smelled like liquor could be the manly and muscled vigilante who had held her in his arms.
249 words
@DavidALudwig
Great showing of the three different characters! And that last line left me wanting more. :)
DeleteLike most Sundays, Carla strolled through the park perusing the art on display. The warmth of the sun kissed her shoulders and she swished her skirt, enjoying the light fabric fluttering underneath her fingers.
ReplyDeleteHer life was about to change. She could feel it as certain as the sun was bright.
With her legs turning to mush she slumped to the nearest bench and pressed her hand to her chest.
“He could be the one.”
“Carla, are you okay?”
She looked up to find Sam walking towards her. Not stopping, he picked her up and cuddled her in his arms.
“What’s wrong, baby?” He was pinching his eyebrows with such force that wrinkles zigzagged all the way up his forehead.
“I’m perfectly fine.” She looked into his sweet brown eyes and caressed his cheek. Yeap, he’s the one.
138 words
@SJMaylee
So very sweet! Started out with something familiar before it all changed. :)
DeleteStanding stiffly next to Commander Burke, I studied the on-screen starfield. The long silver hull of the cruiser glinted in Zeta-V’s blue-white glare, marred only by the gaping wound across her bow.
ReplyDelete“Same MO. He could be the one.” She glanced over with guarded concern.
“Maybe.” My jaw clenched to hide my excitement. It was definitely him.
“Recognize anything?”
I shrugged. In my mind, I was back in the endless dark of my abduction – the Chrunkchacan interrogation, the swampish fecal scent of my captors, the gut-wrenching pain – and him. My only human contact. My solace.
“Okay,” she barked, “no mistakes.” The bridge burst into activity.
Fear charged my body. I fingered the illicit stunner in my pocket seeking calm. I hadn’t been reinstated. They didn’t trust me; and well they shouldn’t.
I never knew why he was there, but his calloused hands and desperate kisses were a lifeline, filling me up with raw humanity when I was starving for a kindred touch. “I didn’t sign up for this shit,” he’d whispered with regret. “When you see an opening, run like hell. Don’t look back.”
Now, I counted crew, noting trajectories. I’d have to be damned fast. Comm channels opened, his voice washing me in bittersweet longing. “Hail, Defiant. Thanks for coming,”
I yanked out the stunner and subdued the crew. Just me and him now, and only one thing to say. My hand unconsciously smoothed over my belly. “Roarke. It’s Sloane. Think I’ve got something that belongs to you.”
249 words
@rowanwolf66
Another intense thread. Well done! :)
Delete"What do you think?"
ReplyDelete"I think he could be the one."
The man smiled.
They separated, he slid behind the Ring Toss tent, she approached a tall-for-his-age boy chomping on a giant fried turkey leg.
"Wow, you are really chowing down. Is that as gross as it looks?"
The boy looked up from his lunch and saw a beautiful girl standing in front of him. Her blonde hair reached the waistband of her jeans, an amply filled white halter top barely concealing the pink of her nipples. She was much older, he guessed seventeen, and he blushed beneath the grease on his face.
"It's pretty good. If you don't mind the mess." But he wished that he wasn't eating it at the moment. There was no way to look cool eating
a huge turkey leg.
"Wanna go for a ride when you're done?"
The boy didn't have to think twice and he didn't bother to ask what they were going to ride. With an enormous grin he tossed the leg into the nearest garbage and said, "Sure."
He followed behind her as she walked through the fairway, her blonde pony tail sweeping across her bare back like a white pendulum, hypnotizing him. He found himself inside of a trailer with no memory of how he got there.
The carnies packed up, another season complete. The small mound of dirt left behind where a trailer once stood went unnoticed and their magic blew away into the late fall wind.
249 Words
@AuthorCAKeane
Wow, you left me with so many questions, like how did he get there? A nice thread! :)
Delete#ThursThreads is now CLOSED. Thanks to everyone who wrote this week and I hope to see you next week. :)
ReplyDelete