#ThursThreads - Week 55 - Winners

Week 55 of #ThursThreads had some terrific tales! Thanks to all who came to write in the New Year. I'm honored to see all of the returning and read your stories. Thank you for coming back again and again to write. And it was also great to see some new 'faces' joining us. Great thanks go to Sean Adams for reading the stories. :)

Entries:

• Jeffrey Hollar | @klingorengi
• L.T. Dalin | @ChessnySilth
• Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir 
• Doris O'Connor | @mamaD8
• Toni Wyatt | @Toni1777
• Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
• Robin Abess | @Angelique_Rider
• Sarah Aisling | @SarahAisling
• Greg Nance | @acenance
• Casey Moss | @CaseyMoss_
• Dr. Magoo | @drmagoo
• Meredith Smith-Lane | @squee79
• Michelle Graham | @MichelleGAuthor
• Kayla West | @bookwormattack
• Cara Michaels | @caramichaels
• Kelly Heinen | @Aightball
• Susan Saxx | @susansaxx

Sean says: Tougher than I imagined, I must have read them 10 times in the last 3

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

 

Cara Michaels | @caramichaels

Sean says: I'm fan of your work even though I tend to avoid most romance writing as it rarely can pull me in like you are able to do with story's like this. Expertly written and flows beautifully. Good stories make you forget you are reading words on a page or a screen. You have that unique gift and it showed in this short.

Jeffrey Hollar | @klingorengi

Sean says: Your story was one of the most eloquently written pieces of flashfiction I have read in awhile. It's such a hard thing to do to write like that and keep it within the word constraints while still getting your story out, you pulled it off.

Week 55 Winner

Kayla West | @bookwormattack

Sean says: Loved the twist and the lead up. You had me at first feeling dark, then light and amused, and then dark again. Tough thing to do in only 250 words. It's also hard to tell something that can be an entire story on it's own in flash fiction. This story did that while also leaving me wanting more.

"But it isn’t enough for me to rot or repent here where none can see. I have to end this. I have to ease their minds with the fact that another monster has been slain."

Glenn watched in horror as his girlfriend put the gun to her head and pulled the trigger. A muffled shot sounded and she slumped to the floor. Blood pooled around her head like a halo. A dark, disturbing halo of ending life.

"And...CUT!"

Director Micheal Westport smiled. "That was great guys. Excellent." He looked at his watch. "I think we should take a short break to prepare for the next scene." A small cheer erupted from the crew and the sound of everyone joking and laughing with eachother filled the studio.

The lead actor David Reese, "Glenn", couldn't help but chuckle at the crew's reaction. It was not often that Micheal Westport gave compliements like that. Not often that he gave breaks either. In fact, this was probably a first.

David turned to walk to his trailer when he remembered that his costar, Emily Davison, had not gotten up off the floor. He turned and called her name.

"Emily."

No response.

He walked back over to her.

"Emily. You can get up now."

Again, no response.

David knew something was wrong. He kneeled down beside her and put his hand on her wrist, checking her pulse.

Nothing.

David's eyes grew wide with fear and he called out.

"Somebody call an ambulance!"

Congratulations Kayla, Cara, and Jeff! Claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! :)

Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the stories here. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! :)

#ThursThreads - The Challenge That Ties Tales Together - Week 55

Welcome back to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked, and a whole new year of #ThursThreads flash fiction. So let's get started. It's Thursday again, so what should you be doing? Writing #FlashFiction, that's what! Welcome to Week 55 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 as written 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 55:

The UK sports nut and #flashfiction author, Sean Adams.

Sean on Facebook

Sean on Twitter

So now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together.

The Prompt:

“But it isn’t enough for me to rot or repent here where none can see.”

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! :)

#ThursThreads - Week 53 - Winners

Week 53 of #ThursThreads had some terrific tales! Thanks to all who came to write in the New Year. I'm honored to see all of the returning and read your stories. Thank you for coming back again and again to write. And it was great to see some new 'faces' joining us. Great thanks go to Alison Packard for reading the stories. :)

Entries:

• Sean Adams | @SE_ADAMS_
• Raven McAllen
• Theresa Breaux | @TheresaBreaux
• Antonio Angelo | @AntonioAngelo21
• Lisa McCourt Hollar | @jezri1
• Veronica Jordan | @RevolutionaryVJ
• Daniel Swensen | @surlymuse
• L.T. Dalin | @ChessnySilth
• Nick Johns | @nickjohns999
• Greg Nance | @acenance
• Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir
• Jeffrey Hollar | @klingorengi
• Davina Jamison | @davinajamison2
• Ryan Strohman | @rastrohman
• Rebecca R. Kovar | @RRKovar
• Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
• David A Ludwig | @DavidALudwig
• Alexandra O'Hurley | @alexohurley
• Kel Heinen | @Aightball
• Mark Ethridge | @LurchMunster
• Shyla Colt | @ShylaColt
• Mike
• CR Moss | @CRMoss

Alison says: Wow! I was seriously impressed with every single entry. There’s some major talent going on in the #ThursThreads Challenge! Selecting the winner and honorable mentions was tough. Why can’t everyone win?

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

 

 Theresa Breaux | @TheresaBreaux

 Alison says: Theresa, immediately, I was drawn into the story and didn’t want it to end. You hooked me and made me want to know more about Jeb, Sully and Lisa. Great job!

Veronica Jordan | @RevolutionaryVJ

Alison says: Veronica, I really enjoyed your writing. Like Theresa’s story, I wanted more.

 Antonio Angelo | @AntonioAngelo21

Alison says: Antonio, I believe yours was one of the best uses of the prompt. Great opening sentence.

Mike
Alison says: Mike, I felt like I was in the mind of a stalker who doesn’t realize he’s a stalker. It was creepy. In a good way.

Week 53 Winner

Sean Adams | @SE_ADAMS_

Alison says: Sean, I loved, loved, loved your submission! It’s beautifully written; I was able to visualize the entire story in my head—like a motion picture…in Technicolor! I also enjoyed how you ended the story with the acceptance that there are things in our world we will never know. There’s something to be said for a little mystery in life…it makes it a lot more interesting.

The first time I met her was in the woods. She was beautiful, flashing between the trees filling the area with a wild energy that hit me like an arrow in the heart. Her voice rose above the wind and bounced off the trees, she thought she was alone.

Her wings spread out full glittering in the early morning sun with the most beautiful colors I had ever seen in my life.

I stayed back, watching, not wanting this sight to end. For so long I had searched, told I was crazy, the Fae were a myth, a legend told to children to keep them in line.

I knew better and I always had but now I could prove it. I lifted my camera slowly, like a hunter sighting in on an unexpectant deer. Just like the deer she stopped, looking around, and our eyes met for one sec.

That one second seemed like an eternity until I realized what I was doing. I quickly raised the camera and punched the button as she disappeared.

I had hurried home to develop the film and when I was done I sat and smiled. The only thing I had caught was my own thumb and the edge of a green tinted foot barely distinguishable from the under growth.

It was then that I realized that it was enough for me to know. I knew that there were indeed things we will never know about our world.

That is what gives me hope.

Congratulations two time winner Sean, Theresa, Veronica, Antonio, and Mike! Claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! :)

Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the stories here. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! :)

#ThursThreads - Week 50 - Winners

Week 50 of #ThursThreads had some great tales! Thanks to all who entered this week. I'm honored to see all of you and read your stories. It was great to have our returning regulars and some new faces. Thank you for coming back again and again to write. And great thanks go to Cara Michaels for reading the stories. :)

Entries:

• Lila Shaw | @Lila_Shaw
• Sean Adams | @SE_ADAMS_ 
• Susan Hayes | @capricia13
• Kel Heinen | @Aightball
• Mark Ethridge | @LurchMunster
• David A Ludwig | @DavidALudwig
• Ruth Long | @Bullishink

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

 

  Mark Ethridge | @LurchMunster

Cara says: What a creepy little story! You built the tension with the axe and the plotting trio, and I kept waiting for the whammy reveal. I’d love to see this developed with more about Abraham, Moses, and Kevin. Are A & M ghosts? Demons? Nasty imaginary friends? Tell me more!

Ruth Long | @Bullishink

Cara says: I didn’t get the zombie impression so much, but I could see it being there if this was fleshed out a bit. More important to me though, were the character relationships. Love the overprotective brother and the sister who secretly wants to leave. I hope she ‘mans up’ and tells him.

Week 50 Winner

Sean Adams | @SE_ADAMS_

Cara says: Without a doubt, this tale set the bar for me. The story needs no more than the 250 words to build a world and relationship filled with reluctant hope and fear of loss. The descriptions give a great sense of the loneliness the character faces in a wrecked world. The glimmer of hope and comfort represented by the dog  turns into a gut punch with the closing lines. “For some reason it feels like it would be harder to lose her if she had a name.” So sad and so true. Excellent work.

The nights are darker and longer now. The smoke and ashes block the moon and I can’t remember the last time I saw the twinkling light of a star.This journal continues to keep me sane and alive but my new friend helps as well.

I found her laying virtually lifeless under the wreckage of a school bus downtown, starving and eaten alive by fleas and ticks. She looked up at me, without moving, and whimpered. The mangiest mutt I had ever seen but the only living being around for miles as far as I knew.

We stayed under the bus for a week as I fed her canned meat from my own small rations until she could lift her head and eventually stand on her own shaky legs. I bathed her as best I could with the soot filled water from a puddle nearby. Trying in vain to give both of us some respectability but we both smell terrible. It’s ok though.

“You don’t hear us whining!” I yell out while rubbing her wet sides as she feebly tries to wag her singed tail.

She never leaves my side and I speak to her as if she can understand exactly what I am saying. I’m pretty convinced she can, at least on some level. I’ve been hesitating to give her name though.

For some reason it feels like it would be harder to lose her if she had a name.

Maybe tomorrow I’ll give her one. A good one.

Congratulations Sean, Mark, and Ruth! Claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! :)

Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the stories here. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! :)