Category Archives: Flash Fiction Friday

17-May-2019

All dialogue this week. Just for funzies.

“How long we been here?” she asked.

“I don’t know. Probably a couple of days.”

“Feels lots longer.”

“It does.”

“You know, I tried counting seconds, but got lost somewhere after seven hundred,” she said. “I kept seein’ Danny’s face.”

“You should forget about him.”

“Why? You think they tellin’ the truth? You think Danny was workin’ with them aliens?”

“Maybe.”

“How could you think that?”

“He’s the only person that knew where we hid the children.”

“And you think they got the kids?”

“They got us.”

“We don’t know what got us.”

“Humans don’t normally shove people in the back of a space ship and then turn out all the lights. Not to mention that we lost gravity some time ago.”

“Is that why my hair is wavin’ around like an octopus?”

“And likely why you’ve thrown up twice.”

“Naw, that’s because I’m almost three months pregnant. Sorry about the throw up floating around.”

“You’re pregnant?”

“That’s right. Danny’s the father. We got plans to get married.”

“What about your husband?”

“Him? He’s a worthless git. I started divorce papers last week.”

“A lot of good that’s going to do now.”

“Right? Maybe those aliens got him.”

“I have a feeling they got a lot of people.”

“You mean killed or locked up like us?”

“Probably both.”

“What you think they’re gonna do with us? Dissect us? Study us? Make us their slaves?”

“You watch too much TV.”

“And movies. It’s all in there. If only Danny were an alien, then my baby and I would be safe.”

“Where did you draw that conclusion from?”

“Don’t matter who you are, if the baby is kin then they won’t kill it.”

“You may need to adjust your expectations of this little journey.”

“Why’s that? If they wanted us dead they would have killed us already.”

“You might be right about that.”

“You know I am. I watch all the alien invasion shows.”

“How do you know that Hollywood got it right?”

“Because if anyone on the planet is a bunch of aliens, it’s them idjuts in Hollywood.”

“What about the rednecks from Kentucky?”

“Them? Naw. They’re plain folk with family issues. I get them.”

“I see.”

“You seem pretty smart. If you tell the aliens you’re smart, they might let you be a scientist for them.”

“How gracious of them.”

“Right? Ugh. My hands hurt from being strapped down.”

“Keep moving as much as you can. Keep your muscles going.”

“Good thing they put this catheter thing in, or I would have peed all over by now.”

“We’re very lucky.”

“True that. Oh, I’m getting tired again. I think I’ll sleep.”

“Go ahead. I might join you.”

“How long we been here?” she asked.

 

10-May-2019

What happens when you get bored?

“I’m bored!”

The childish whine of the words pulled me from my sleep into the realm of somewhat awake. I brushed the cobwebs from my mind and opened one eye. A single prick of light shone from a corner of my realm.

“Me too!”

“Shush, you two. I told you not to say that.”

There were two of them? I blinked a few times and the glowing dot resolved into two glowing dots.

“But it’s true!” the first voice wailed.

“I’m so bored I could die!” How children could put that much fake anguish into a single sentence still baffled me.

Both pricks of light grew brighter. I shifted a little so I could see them better.

“Todd!” The mother’s voice cut through the darkness surrounding me like a talon slicing through tender flesh. Even I flinched, and it had been eons since I’d had a mother. “Don’t you ever say that.”

The icy tone of the woman quieted the complainers, and the two lights grew faint.

I eyed them. I could still get to the children, but it had only been a week in the mortal realm since I’d eaten, and this was the bellyachers’ first offense. Each child had a distinct voice, and an even more distinct whine. If I heard a kid more than twice, they were mine.

The two little darlings continued to fade, and I put my massive head back on my paws. Just before I closed my eyes, one of the dots flared white hot. It didn’t matter that the little urchin whispered. I heard everything.

“I’m still bored.”

I coined the first little brat Conner.

“Me too.”

The second dot grew a little lighter. I called her Betty.

“And I don’t believe in the Savage,” Conner said. “Do you?”

Betty hesitated. “I…I don’t know. I mean Stewart disappeared a few months ago. Right from his bedroom. I heard my dad talking to my mom and he said there was blood everywhere.” The confident tone in her voice from a few moments before waivered. I could feel her fear.

A cruel grin pulled my lips apart, and air licked my gums. There had been a lot of blood.

“It’s just the adults trying to make us be good and not say we’re bored,” Conner said with a snort.

The deal the parents had made with me had been simple: I let them live under my protection, but if I heard a child whine that they were bored more than twice, I got the kid. Considering the chaos in the outside world, it seemed a small price to pay.

However, these parents weren’t very good at keeping their children in line.

I stood on four legs and shook my long, sleek body.

“Don’t say that word,” Betty said.

Smart girl.

“What, you think a word can bring a monster?”

Betty didn’t answer.

“I’m bored.” Conner said. “Bored, bored, bored, bored, bored.”

I could practically see him dancing around as he said it.

“Come on, let’s go play,” Betty said. Fear dripped from her words.

“But I don’t want to play any of the games we have, they’re boring.” Conner sang the last word.

Conner’s light now shot through my realm and bore into my eye.

I didn’t usually attack when I had witnesses, but perhaps this would teach the other children a lesson. The light started to burn, and I ran toward it. One moment it was worlds away, and the next I got to a hole in the fabric of reality. A hole just big enough for me to get a claw through. I growled and raked my paw down from the hole.

A tearing sound filled the air, and Betty screamed.

I ripped through the opening and found a bedroom piled with toys and games. More entertainment than most people saw in a lifetime. Betty, a red-headed girl of about ten, and Conner, a blond boy of about twelve, stood in shock. Betty covered her mouth with her hands to stifle another scream, and Conner’s eyes practically bugged out of his head.

They knew what I was. I didn’t waste time. They’d interrupted my post-killing nap with their idiotic shenanigans, and Conner would now feel my wrath.

He stumbled toward the door, but I locked it with a thought. My realm bled out into the room, keeping any sound from getting out.

Betty backed up until her rump hit a wall, then she slid down to a sitting position.

I looked at her with my glowing yellow eyes for a brief moment. A moment I knew she would never forget. Then I turned to Conner.

He yelled and screamed as I slowly stalked toward him. He lost control of his bowels, then curled into a ball and cried like a baby.

I licked my lips. The really naughty ones always tasted the best.

***

I didn’t even need dice for this little gem.

Not sure that’s good, by the way.

3-May-2019

Alas, I’m sorry to say that there is no Flash Fiction Friday today. I know I missed one a couple of months ago as well, and I’m sorry about that. Stupid pneumonia tried to kill me which put me behind on books which made me a crazy person.

Now the books are finished and I thought I would be able to breathe again…I thought wrong.

I suppose I could blame Endgame. Yes, that’s it!

Also, my Fairy Tale Academy books are all out, so I need new categories for my dice rolling.

Visit again next week! My Flash Fiction streak will start anew!

26-Apr-2019

An evil princess gets her comeuppance

Princess Raina arranged the books on the shelf in order from tallest to shortest, then pushed the elephant-shaped book ends in place. She twirled on the chair and hummed her favorite tune as jumped down to survey her work.

The shelf sat above the ornate—if not a little outdated—chair that she’d claimed as her throne. Raina moved back and nodded. The books added a certain smarter feel to the room that those who came in for judgment would surely recognize.

A knock sounded at the door, and Raina walked to the chair, turned so her red skirts would fall properly, then sat in the chair. On the throne, she corrected herself. “Come in.”

A click sounded, and the door opened to reveal Captain Alby—a tall, thin man with graying hair and a patchy beard. “Your Highness.” He bowed, as protocol required, and entered.

The man brought the rotten stench of the sea combined with unwashed bodies. Raina waved a hand in front of her nose. “Captain Alby. Do you have a report for me?”

He straightened. “Yes, Your Highness.” Before he continued, his eyes darted to the books above Raina’s head.

A swell of pride filled Raina, and she sat up straighter. “Go on.”

Captain Alby cleared his throat and focused his eyes on the princess. “Your Highness, we are but two days away from the shores of Ceadian. Our advanced scouts report little to no security on the coast due to the storm.”

“What storm?”

The man shifted his weight. “The one that is headed right for us.”

“So you mean rain and wind?”

“It could be more than that, Your Highness.”

Raina narrowed her eyes and sat forward. “You assured me that your ships could make this crossing no matter what. Did you lie to me, Captain?”

Alby’s eyes darted to the left, where the bronzed remains of the last captain who had failed Raina hung. “No, Highness.”

Her smile returned. “I’m so glad to hear it. The tunipan flowers only bloom for one week out of the whole year. If we don’t get them now, I’m not going to be happy.”

“My men are ready.”

“Very well, leave me.” Raina waved a hand.

“Your Highness?” Captain Alby’s eyes once again darted to the shelf above her head.

“Yes?”

“A word of advice, you may not want to leave those books up there during the storm.”

“I’ll keep that under advisement,” Raina said in a cold voice.

The Captain bowed. “Of course, Your Highness.” He retreated and the door clicked shut behind him.

Princess Raina snorted. “I just got those books up there.”

Another knock came at the door and Raina composed herself. “Enter.”

This time young boy with a twisted body shuffled in. He bowed, but it looked more like he might totter over, and held out a thin vial of purple liquid. “Your Highness. I have your potion.”

Raina jumped off the throne and clapped her hands. “Excellent, Trevor.” She snatched the vial from him and unstopped it. One whiff of the sugary scent and she sighed. Then she noticed Trevor looking up at the shelf above her throne.

“Storms coming. Might want to move those books, Highness.”

Anger burned behind Raina’s eyes. Trevor was too valuable to make an example of. She pointed at the door. “Out.”

“Yes, Highness.” He scrambled to obey.

Once she was alone, Raina sat and drank the potion which tasted of sweet grapes. It would be her last dose until they retrieved more of the tunipan flowers. The power of dark magic blossomed in her center and spread throughout her limbs. Raina sighed and leaned back. The rejuvenation always left her tired, and in just a few seconds sleep pulled her down.

Raina woke to the creaking and moaning of the ship. Her hand darted out to grab the armrest of her throne just in time to keep her from sliding onto the floor. Shouts sounded from outside, followed by a crash of thunder that shook the wood beneath her.

“What’s going on?” she yelled. “Captain?” Raina stumbled to her feet, but the ship lurched to one side, and Raina went with it, almost crashing into the wall. When the ship went back the other way, Raina returned to the throne and held on.

This must be the storm that the Captain had been talking about. Couldn’t they control the ship better? The man at the wheel must be the worst helmsman in history. Raina called on her magic to steady herself and took a step toward the door. A sliding noise sounded from above, and she looked up just in time to see the ivory book end coming down on her.

Raina got her hand up to block, but the book end hit her wrist with an audible crunch. Pain shot up her arm, and she cradled it. “Stupid storm.” She would have to heal the arm before the Captain or that lout Trevor saw her. She would not give them the satisfaction of knowing they had been right.

The ship tilted again, and another hiss sounded from above. This time Raina looked up and found the other book end, along with all of the books, coming down on her head.

A single curse escaped her lips before the elephant cracked her skull.

***

I guess I’m in a murderous mood.

Character – Evil Princess

Random Object – Book Ends

Setting – A Ship