#ThursThreads - Week 142 - Winners

Week 142 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 for helping me celebrate these years of flash. Great thanks to Cheryl Dragon for judging this week. Be sure to check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on FB to keep up with news, etc.

Entries:

• Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
• Silver James | @SilverJames_
• Kelly Heinen | @Aightball
• Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir
• Toni Morrow Wyatt | @Toni1777
• Olivia Starke | @OliviaStarke
• Sandi Layne | @sandyquill
• Nellie Batz | @solimond
• Ruth Long | @Bullishink

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

Silver James | @SilverJames_

Cheryl says: Very intriguing. There wasn’t a dump of backstory and info, which is great. Just enough detail to keep me reading. Since it is a life or death decision, I wanted more feeling. The character might need to verbalize willingness to give up their life. It was a quick trip to thinking about giving up a limb to life…it says a lot about the character but need a bit more to justify it (which I’m sure was trimmed to meet the word limit :) Great start!!

Nellie Batz | @solimond

Cheryl says: Love bad genie! Pawn shop setting could be anything so definitely draws you in. I know there were word constraints but a little more setting detail just to feel grounded. We get a lot of what she’s feeling but is it a nicer pawn shop or a super nasty part of town? Of course, awesome genie powers means she’s safe and can take when she wants. I do hope, later in the story, she makes whoever stole the bottle repay the pawn guy…and that he’s not forever a frog.

Toni Morrow Wyatt | @Toni1777

Cheryl says: I want to know more…which is always a good thing. What plague? Why her? What does she look like? Those details would help (again…word constraints, I understand). But how bad can she look? And eek, spilling your own blood like that…it’s got to be bad but what is this world’s beauty standard? Sooo many questions. Very glad I’m not that vain! I can see reverse beauty and the beast coming and it’s a cool concept.

Week 142 Winner

Olivia Starke | @OliviaStarke

Cheryl says: This one kept it simple and direct yet had a great twist and made me want to find out more. We know why she wants it, we know the problem and the hint of powers is cool. The extreme action she takes solves the immediate problem but there will be consequences or at least a cover up. I’d love to see how that is resolved. The flip of using sex to using violence is awesome but that big of a move must have repercussions later on. Excellent set up and a lot to build on. This gave not too much and not too little…just right!

“I would have to pay what?” Kristin’s eyes bugged as she stared over the paperwork.

“Three hundred fifty thousand and some change,” the irritating man said, his smug expression never wavering.

Kristin looked back to the old house. Peeling paint, a dangling shutter, yellowed windows. Once it’d been a stately place to call home, but now not so much. But three hundred fifty K? Such a huge amount would wipe her out. Unless…. She ran her tongue over her teeth and leveled her gaze on the person standing between her and her family’s legacy—a deed that meant little to the stranger holding it.

Just this once she could use it, just this once couldn’t possibly hurt. She ran her tongue over her teeth once more, before she flashed her most flirtatious smile. The street was deserted, not many lived this way which worked to her advantage.

She cocked her hip, drawing on her feminine wiles. “How about we go inside before I make my final decision. I’d like to see what I’m buying.”

She winked, and the man’s face split into a grin. “Sure sweetheart.”

Kristin hid her revulsion as a long repressed hunger kicked in. The wind rustled and stirred, dark clouds clustering as the two disappeared within the home’s shadows. Minutes later a feral howl pierced the air, shortly after terrified screams.

Kristin had gotten her family’s deed, now the only thing left—figure out how to get fresh blood stains from the wallpaper.

Congratulations THREE TIME WINNER Olivia, Silver, Nellie, and Toni! Don't forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it!

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