Categotry Archives: Fiction
Suzie’s House 287 : Gene and Kate Practice
There was all this sound and motion, but Gene found practicing with Kate kind of peaceful. It shouldn’t have been. The girl was almost as twitchy as her singer friend, and her drum playing drowned him out most of the time. Maybe it was because he really didn’t care. She fumbled and dropped a drum stick, but he kept playing. She’d catch up when she was ready.
A Smooth Stone
Meredith picked up a smooth stone from the river bed. “It’s not like we know nothing,” she says. “For instance, this stone became smooth by tumbling in the stream. We can carbon date it to know the age, and located rocks like it for where it originated.” “That rock came from my bedroom,” her son says. “I threw it away just now.” The challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to write a story in exactly 55 words. Flash […]
Suzie’s House 286 : Justin and Emma Practice
“What are you doing here?” Justin looked scary with his mouth all snarly and eyes narrow. For a minute, it made Emma nervous – as if there was anything in the world that didn’t make her nervous – but then, maybe it wasn’t a bad thing for Justin to hate Bruce that much.
Biopsy
“Eviscerated” probably isn’t how I should answer the question, “How do you feel?” It was just a little medical procedure. That’s what they call it, you know. It doesn’t count as an operation, the way Korea wasn’t a war, just a “police action”. In and out in half a day. Then nothing to do but wait. The challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to write a story in exactly 55 words. Flash Fiction 55 is hosted by the […]
Suzie’s House 285 : The Sound of Music
Suzie ripped the check out of the checkbook and stuffed it into an envelope. She could have done it online, but then the money would have transferred faster and she’d find herself in yet another financial bind. Such wonderful things she could look forward to.
Old Hippies
I don’t know why I thought that the men I knew when young would end up looking like my grandfather when they got old. It should have been obvious they would not age “gracefully”. But what boggles me the most is modern science. They all kept their hair. The challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to write a story in exactly 55 words. Flash Fiction 55 is hosted by the G-man, a host with the most.
Suzie’s House 284 : The Nut House
“Have some tea. You’re looking a bit sallow, my dear.” Sonoma pushed Drew into a chair at the kitchen table, much to his irritation. “You’re just like Suzie. Except for the tea and the language.” Drew hunched over with his elbows on the table. He really, really did not want to have to drink any more tea, but when Sonoma suggested it, no one could escape. It was her profession, after all.
A Casual Ghost
“I thought you were dead.” “I am.” “Then what are you doing here?” “I felt like visiting.” “Could you not do that? You’re jacking up my heating bills.” The challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to write a story in exactly 55 words. Flash Fiction 55 is hosted by the G-man, a host with the most. Yeah, I’m running a few words short this week. Hope you don’t mind.
Suzie’s House 283 : I Am the Predator
Crap. What was he doing with helping that girl get over stage fright? Bruce yanked a black, knitted beanie out of his coat pocket and jammed it on his head as he walked away from Emma’s neighborhood. He wasn’t running away. Not at all. He was going back toward State Street and downtown, where he belonged.
Under the Bed
Sleep eluded him. When a child, he would imagine a monster under his bed, waiting for him to let a foot or a hand hang over the edge. Now, the nightmares keeping him tossing and turning were much worse. He labeled them “Mortgage”, “Divorce”, and “Bankruptcy.” The challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to write a story in exactly 55 words. Flash Fiction 55 is hosted by the G-man, a host with the most.
Suzie’s House 282 : A Dark and Snowy Night
He was right behind her. Emma walked as fast as she could, too afraid to run because if she did, then Bruce would have an excuse to run, too, and there was no way she could get home before he caught up with her. She concentrated on the crunch of frost under foot and tried to ignore the painful pounding in her heart and the enclosing darkness between each street light.
Eggshells Underfoot
“When did I become so easily frightened,” Jessie said as she shifted her hair to cover bruises she never talks about. “I used to be so good at reading people. Now…” She shakes her head. The hair slides forward, covering all but her frown. “Sometimes I think I’ll never be sure of myself again.” The challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to write a story in exactly 55 words. Flash Fiction 55 is hosted by the G-man, a […]
Suzie’s House 281: Stage Fright – Preamble
“I can’t do it. I can’t. I just can’t.” Emma caught herself scratching her elbow and made herself stop. She itched all over, and had since even before she and Kate left that old house where Gene lives. “But Emma, you’re really good at it.”
Kitty Jail
The veterinarian called it “bed rest”. He was not to come out of the cage until the bones all knit. Six weeks of laying about. As if he hadn’t napped enough before. When finally the day came the door swung wide open, but too long away from freedom He didn’t know how to leave. The challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to write a story in exactly 55 words. Flash Fiction 55 is hosted by the G-man, a […]
Suzie’s House 280: The Power of a One Man Band
“Before we jump for joy over all his connections,” Gene said in a way that made Emma nervous, like he was mad about something or maybe like he didn’t much care for this guy named Bruce. “Let’s see if he’s any good. He’s not a member of the band yet, you know.” He gave Tracy a hard look. “Of course.” Bruce didn’t seem to mind at all. He pulled a keyboard out of his backpack like he’d been expecting this […]
