#ThursThreads - Week 99 - Winners

Week 99 of #ThursThreads had some terrific tales. I'm honored to see all of the returning writers and read your stories. Thank you for coming back again and again to write. And it was wonderful to have some new folks stop by. Welcome! Great thanks to Rebecca Brennan for judging this week. :)

Entries:

• Yusuf Toropov | @BYToropov
• Jessica P West | @West1Jess
• James Bulls | @54_NoG
• Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
• Cari Oleskewicz | @carilynn72
• Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir
• Kelly Heinen | @Aightball
• Kate Lipnitskaya | @gorgeous_jaan
• Cynthia Hudson Keane | @AuthorCAKeane
• Mark Ethridge | @LurchMunster
• Rebecca R Kovar | @RRKovar

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

Cynthia Hudson Keane | @AuthorCAKeane

Rebecca says: A wicked, treacherous, angry woman... what could be better? I really love how this one unfolded and I could really taste the bitterness in the words. I had a feel of rich indifference and isolation, and had imaged a whole lifetime of marriage for this bitter couple by the end of this short piece. This one was a close second for me.

Rebecca R Kovar | @RRKovar

Rebecca says: I really liked this tale. The main character and her personality really jumped off the page for me. I could feel her lack of education, her backwoods-y nature, and imagine the sort of upbringing she had--where she is from...so many great tells to give us a vivid image of her. The last few sentences confused me a little, but I still wanted to know more.

Mark Ethridge | @LurchMunster

Rebecca says: Hello? Pirates... my obsession and weakness... Ok, it got some points for that, but it's not why it made my list. I enjoyed how the author made comparisons between the dying ship and himself. The touch subtle touch of defiance in them both was a nice addition as well.

Week 99 Winner

Cari Oleskewicz | @carilynn72

Rebecca says: I absolutely loved this flash piece. I didn't see the ending coming and I was smiling and nodding when I got there. Clever, clever. This really appealed to the fairy tale/folk story lover in me, as well. Descriptive, precise -- nothing wasted and nothing missing. As someone who started her journey to author-hood writing flash and micro fiction, I give a hearty kudos to you on this tale.

Birds of Paradise

They want me to go to this castle, only I’ve never been there and I don’t trust castles, particularly castles with all that squawking.

Perhaps it’s just a flock of northern geese, looking for a warm place to settle and discussing the options while this pathetic human listens and considers the moat and the drawbridge and the cobwebs and the cold, white-gray stone.

What if it’s not geese? What if that dreadful noise is coming from inside the castle?

I take another desperate look around. No one.

But I won’t go alone.

It only takes a snap of the fingers and my guardian angel is at my side, sizing up the castle and shaking his head.

“Don’t do it.”

“That’s exactly what I was thinking.”

“What’s all that noise?”

“Sounds like geese.”

He takes off his baseball hat and scratches his head. “You can ignore them.”

My guardian angel played major league baseball until he was shot and killed in a bizarre hunting accident with a friend. He’s 18 years younger than me and usually he’s much smarter. He knows things, but I find myself ready to argue with him about the castle. I have to do what I’m told.

“I can’t go with you.”

I nod, stepping to the door.

It takes only a few minutes for me to start squawking. I look around for him, but all I see are birds who used to be people and they spread their expansive wings in welcome.

Congratulations Winner Cari, Cynthia, Rebecca, and Mark! Don't forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it!

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