Cue portentous voice

In a world . . .

Well, it’s not really a world, is it?

In the space between worlds . . .

That’s redundant, not very descriptive, and probably not related to what you want to say.

*sigh* On a ship traveling from its homeworld . . .

Hmm. Not enough detail, I think. Could you maybe add some specifics?

The spaceship Thetis leads an escadrille out of New Alexandria on spring maneuvers–

Maybe not that specific.

In an electronic communication medium, a disembodied voice gives up and heads out for an early weekend.

Oh, sure, give up. Come on, you were almost there. One more try. . . pretty please?


100 words

My blog is participating in the Forward Motion Flash Friday Blog Group, a weekly flash fiction exercise (not that I’m managing weekly!). Check out the other participating blogs for more flash.

Friday flash: FHIS Urchins

FHIS Urchins

Welcome to the FHIS Orphanage. You are here because some householder — possibly your own parent — has traded you to us in exchange for someone to do the housework. A good deal for them, not so good for you.

While you are here, you will be taught to cook and clean, as well as care for animals. When you are properly trained and ready, you, too, will be traded to a householder. With luck, you might even be rescued as a true cinder wench or goose girl — or better yet, rescue yourself.

Think of it as your fairy tale come true.


100 words

Because so many people wanted to know what happened to the urchins last week.

My blog is participating in the Forward Motion Flash Friday Blog Group, a weekly flash fiction exercise (not that I’m managing weekly!). Check out the other participating blogs for more flash.

Also, I have another drabble up at SpeckLit; it went up yesterday. Ghostwriter

Friday flash: Egg Hunt

Egg Hunt

The brown hare huddled beneath the hedge, nose twitching. The children had started their annual egg hunt, with the oldest girl quickly grabbing all the shiniest eggs. Typical. Her younger siblings resented it, of course, calling “Selfish!” and “Don’t be so grabby,” but their parents just rolled their eyes and said, “Everyone will share equally.”

The watching fey tweaked the hare’s tail. Surprised, it bolted in front of the children.

“The Easter Bunny!” They chased it, the oldest girl leading, so she got most of the candy-filled eggs.

The tooth fairy smiled evilly. Soon, she would have a rich harvest.

— THE END —

100 words


My blog is participating in the Forward Motion Flash Friday Blog Group, a weekly flash fiction exercise (not that I’m managing weekly!). Check out the other participating blogs for more flash.


I wish you a happy Easter, if you celebrate it.

Friday Flash: Moonbreak

Moonbreak

Astronomers across the globe confirmed the results as the Earth’s rotation brought the outer planets into view. Moons were splitting open, cracking in a haze of ice, gas, and rock. Titan had been first by more than a day, but Io broke before either Ganymede or Callisto. Now telescopes pointed at Triton, at Europa, and at all Saturn’s moons in case another should split.

News had leaked to the Internet, and people stopped to stare at the Moon in Earth’s sky, waiting for signs of their impending doom.

Meanwhile, a dragon uncoiled from the Sun. Her eggs were finally hatching.

— THE END —

100 words


My blog is participating in the Forward Motion Flash Friday Blog Group, a weekly flash fiction exercise. Check out the other participating blogs for more flash.

Friday Flash: Last words

They gave Sam 140 characters in which to say goodbye.

“She’ll never know where you are or what’s happened, but you can give her this.”

A single tweet? Sam stared at her avatar and racked his brain for words of great lovers, wishing he could see her one last time.

“It is a far, far–” No, they wouldn’t let him say that, even if he could fit it into a tweet.

“Ditto”?

No. He had to say something that would let her move on.

“Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.”

. . . if only it were true. He hit send.

— THE END —

100 words


My blog is participating in the Forward Motion Flash Friday Blog Group, a weekly flash fiction exercise. Check out the other participating blogs for more flash.

Friday flash — growing ivy

Today’s drabble is inspired by Chuck Wendig’s flash fiction challenge, using three of the following five words: enzyme, ivy, bishop, blister, lollipop. (Note if you haven’t visited his site before, some of the language is not words I would say in front of my kids.)

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Roots from the ivy pushed between the bricks on the bishop’s chimney. He knew he needed to have the gardener deal with the plant before it damaged the house, but it looked so picturesque, and appearance was everything, wasn’t it? Growth in the diocese, innocence of the mayor, functioning of the enzymes that made insulin in his treacherous body.

He glanced again at the lab report. Maybe it was time to accept things as they truly were. Tell the truth, and let his successor deal with the ensuing outrage.

Afterward, the gardener could always plant ivy next to his tombstone.

=====

I’m not terribly happy with this drabble — it sounds more like the opening of a story than a complete story, but his rule was no more than 100 words, so this is what I have.

N.B.: Changed “peace” to “growth” to avoid certain assumptions, which could easily be read into the story.

Monday drabble: Recycling

Len measured out the polymerization agent for the overnight run, the last step in his end-of-shift routine. The suppliers had been and gone earlier, and even the renderers’ shifts had finished for the day. He double-checked the volume in the tanks one last time before adding the agent. He didn’t want either soup or rock.

Satisfied, he set the mixers in motion. In the morning, the slurry would be poured over screens to dry: 30% post-consumer content, as advertised. He turned off the lights on his way out the door, ignoring the tattooed skin that surfaced briefly in the nearest vat.

Tuesday drabble: Eclipse

The shadow crept across the moon’s surface. The eclipse wasn’t due for two nights; astronomers flocked to their telescopes. One backyard amateur didn’t bother. The tabloids had said the aliens were here already; they were only partly right. Now Nifhshaya could go home. She had been found.

She climbed to her roof to wait. Her report would be lengthy, but she could offer hope that the Earthlings understood peace — something not at all clear when she had landed. Too late, she learned the ship’s commander was the one who had sabotaged her shuttle. Earthlings would not be welcomed to the galaxy.

Monday drabble: Silly string

The Silly String took over Joey’s brain when he was eight. He didn’t mean for it to happen — I don’t think anyone even knew it could happen. He held the can up next to his nose and pretended to sneeze the string out, as people do, but he goofed and inhaled. His mom took him to the emergency room, but the doctor said he couldn’t see anything wrong with Joey.

His grades got better after that; he could finally string his thoughts together.

When he grew up, he went to work in a gag factory. He’s working on upgrading himself.

Monday drabble: Rain

The old man stared out at the night sky. He had not slept since the previous rains; he knew his next sleep would be his last sleep. He sat and watched, but no rain came. Did his watchfulness keep it away, though he hoped for its coming? Rain dances had not helped, prayers had not helped, even silver nitrate had not helped.

His grandson’s family would leave in the morning, seeking new land with water, hope, and opportunity — leaving the home of their family for generations. Tears welled in the old man’s eyes. Outside, drops fell.

Sleep came at last.