Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Who Shot First?




I saw Star Wars VII last night, and it inspired me to write fan/flash fiction today.

The prompt: He stared at the table, trying to recall his attacker.

“What happened, scum?” the storm trooper demanded.
Dazed, Ty shook his head. He stared at the table trying to recall his attacker. “I don’t know. It happened so fast.”
“What were you doing in the Mos Eisley cantina?”
Ty’s memory was still fuzzy. “My partner and I must have come here for a drink.”  
“Your partner?”
“Greedo.”
“Yeah. He’s dead.” The storm trooper jerked a thumb toward the mess in the corner. “A smuggler named Solo blasted him all over the cantina.”
“Who shot first?” Ty asked.
“That’s what we want to know.”
Ty remember now. “Han shot first.



Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Away in a Manger



        
Today’s prompt: She watched him, smiling.


        The cattle were lowing; the poor baby slept. Mary tucked the swaddling clothes around baby Jesus and placed him on the hay in the feeding trough. She watched him, smiling.
        “You should sleep, too,” Joseph said, placing his arm around her shoulder.
        She rested her head against his chest. “How can I sleep on such a holy night?” she asked. “I can’t take my eyes from him.”
        A dog barked, and Mary straightened. “Someone’s here.”    
        “Is this the place?” a man’s voice came from the cave entrance. “Is He here? We’ve come to worship the Savior, Christ the Lord.”


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Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Moody Blues






Today’s prompt: She took a deep breath and said to her boss

        Mr. Moody was a micromanager. Nothing escaped his notice.  He hovered over the men and women in the office, squinting at their computer screens to make sure no one was off task.  American Dream Credit was a growing company and Moody intended to grow with it. His ambitions included a private office two floors up.
        Sitting in her cubicle, Elena Gonzalez smelled her boss’s aftershave and knew he was nearby. She typed an IM to Jeanna three desks down. Here comes Moody.
        “Miss Gonzalez. Are you on facebook?”
        She took a deep breath and said to her boss, “What’s that?”


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Wednesday, December 2, 2015

It Happened So Fast




        Today’s prompt: She clung to the piece of driftwood, praying for daylight.

        It had happened so fast, the rush of water bringing horror and death.
        Alexis was with a group of college students building a school on the Pacific island of Vanuatu. It had been a fun adventure, working beside the villagers, playing with the children. And then without warning the tsunami struck.
         Alexis had heard the roar, ran to the window and watched the monster wave approach in the moonlight. What happened next had mercifully been wiped from her memory. Stripped of her clothes, coated with mud and filth, she clung to the piece of driftwood, praying for daylight.

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Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Elizabeth Bennet, Where Are You?

Today’s prompt: He was excited to find 150 new emails

        Jared would never have registered on Sweethearts.com, but his friend, Dixon, had challenged him. They were both engineering students at the University of Utah, surviving on ramen soup. Dixon had bet Jared a steak dinner he couldn’t find a date for the homecoming game—a girl willing to pay for her ticket. The game was only three days away, and Jared had bared his soul online:
        I’m Jared Saxton. Twenty-two years old. Five foot ten, one hundred seventy-two pounds. I read Jane Austen, and I’m searching for Elizabeth Bennet.
        He was excited to find 150 new emails in his mailbox.


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Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Who Done It?



Today’s prompt: It was up to her to investigate how the accident happened.

        The chemistry lab was a mess. Broken glass littered the floor, smoke residue stained the ceiling, and the stench of skunk hung in the air. Miss Pipkin stood at the door, clipboard in hand, fighting the urge to vomit. It was up to her to investigate how the accident happened.
        Accident, my big toe. This was no accident. Someone had exploded a stink bomb, and she had a sneaking suspicion it was one of the senior boys. Meanwhile, all chemistry classes were canceled.
        “Mornin’, Miss Pipkin,” a student called out as she passed by in the hall. “Love your cologne.”


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Wednesday, November 11, 2015

A History Lesson




Today’s prompt: More and more people were refusing to obey the laws.

        The elder sat cross-legged at the fire, huddled under a threadbare blanket.  He gazed across the flames at his dirty-faced student.
        The boy yawned. 
        “Pay attention, Matthew,” the old man said. “You will be called upon to tell the history of our people after I’m gone.”
        Matthew scratched a mosquito bite. “I’m listening.”
        The elder grunted. “By 2035, more and more people were refusing to obey the laws,” he said. “The United States were no longer united.”
        “Who was president?” the boy asked.
        “I forget her name.” He spat. “The government was corrupt. No one could be trusted.”

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Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Ho! Ho! Ho!


This week’s prompt: He realized the child had seen him.

        It was Jim’s first tour of duty in South Korea, and he was homesick. The Korean people, their religion and traditions were very different. But thanks to the American servicemen, they knew about Santa Claus. Jim wanted to play Santa for a family who lived in a cardboard shack. The little boy coughed and wore only rags. On Christmas Eve, Jim filled a plastic bag with toys and food. He couldn’t leave it outside where stray dogs would find it.     But as soon as he opened the door, he realized the child had seen him.
        “Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas!”  


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Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Flying High!




Today’s prompt: He itched to clear the ground, to look out and see nothing . . .

        Flapping his over-sized ears, Dumbo hopped but rose only an inch off the ground.
        “Try again,” Timothy Mouse said.
        Dumbo’s ears hung low. “It’s no use.”
        “You need a jump start.”
        Dumbo climbed on the lion tamer’s chair, jumped and fell trunk first into the sawdust.
        “I have an idea.” Timothy handed his friend a feather. “It’s magic.”
        Dumbo held it in his trunk, flapped his ears, and to his surprise, lifted up off the ground. Higher and higher he flew. Then swooped and dove.  He itched to clear the ground, to look out and see nothing but clouds.


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Wednesday, October 14, 2015

The Streak



Today’s prompt: Someone must have seen him because the police were at his door.

        “Down the hatch,” Dr. Nussbaum said before drinking the concoction. It burned his throat and his eyes lost focus. He felt a tingling in his toes that crept slowly up his legs to his torso and then to the tip of his fingers and top of his head. He gazed into the bathroom mirror and saw only his bathrobe—not his body.
        “It worked!” he shouted. “I’m invisible!”
        He peeled off his robe and ran barefoot out into the street. What should he do first? Rob a bank?
        Someone must have seen him because the police were at his door.


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Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Thar She Blows!




Today’s prompt: She stood out from the crowd because . . .

Hundreds of tourists waited, standing in the hot sun. Old Faithful would erupt in ten minutes. Cindy had come all the way from Brooklyn to see the natural wonders in Yellowstone National Park. Old Faithful was on her bucket list. But she had a problem. She was too short. Each time she moved to a place where she could see, someone spoiled her view. She hurried to her car and lugged the ice chest over to the geyser site. She stood out from the crowd because now she was seven feet tall and had a great view. “Thar she blows!”

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Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Slip Up



Today’s prompt: Head high, she swept out of the room. Head even higher, she swept back in . . .

Julie stood before the three-way mirror in the bridal shop, admiring her reflection. The gown fit perfectly. Its full skirt accentuated her slim waist. Jed would beam with love when she walked down the aisle. Smiling, she twirled gleefully and almost fell. The skirt was too long. Head high, she swept out of the room. Head even higher, she swept back in and twirled before the mirror once more. This time, her skirt swished around her ankles. Thanks to the hooped slip, she needn’t worry. Now she could sweep down the aisle and into Jed’s arms.

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Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Romeo, Romeo




     
Today’s prompt: They found his diary under his bed.


     When Lord and Lady Montague entered Romeo’s room, it looked just as their son had left it. The bed was a-tumble, his clothes draped on a chair. The candle had burned down in the candlestick, and his feathered cap hung on the wall. They found his diary under his bed.
     “He wrote poetry,” Lord Montague said.
     Lady Montague wiped away a tear. “Romeo was such a romantic.”
     Her husband read aloud: “‘Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight, for I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.’”  
     “He was in love with that Capulet girl.”
     “Poor boy.”


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Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Heavenly






Today’s prompt: The little boy’s idea of heaven was . . .

The Martineau’s had a large family: five daughters and one son—Danny, the youngest. Each Sunday morning, the family woke early to get ready for church. After breakfast, the girls curled their hair, giggling at themselves in the mirror, and chose their best dresses.
        Danny sat at the table, blowing bubbles through a straw in his chocolate milk.
        “Get dressed, Danny,” his father called. “Hurry up.”
        At church, he sat wedged between his parents, swinging his feet. Time crawled as the pastor described streets paved with gold. Danny frowned. The little boy’s idea of heaven was not going to church.



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Wednesday, September 2, 2015

The Happiest Place on Earth




Today’s prompt: He opened the door to find her standing there, crying.

The patience of a kindergarten teacher and a love of mankind are required to work at Disneyland. Jim loved people, especially children. He had five of his own.  In the twelve years he’d worked at the happiest place on earth, he’d operated a variety of the rides, everything from King Arthur’s Carousel to the Pirates of the Caribbean. He was manning the operations board in the Haunted Mansion one night when he heard screams—real screams. A woman had lost her daughter.  The child had disappeared in the attic. He opened the door to find her standing there, crying.


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Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Bang!





        Today’s prompt: As he opened the car door there was a loud . .


        Sgt. Bob Slivinsky glanced at the clock before answering the phone. “Yes, sir,” he said. “Right away.” It was 3:35 a.m. but the general needed to meet with Prime Minister Winston Churchill—ASAP.
        Ten minutes later, Bob brought the general’s car around to headquarters. Even at this hour, the base was active. Trucks rumbled through the London fog.
        General Eisenhower came out of the building. “You look tired,” he said. “Sorry to get you up so early.”

        Bob saluted. As he opened the car door there was a loud bang. A truck had backfired. Bob chuckled. “Now I’m awake.” 


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Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Lucky Number


This prompt had so many possibilities! As soon as she walked in, she felt the tension . . .      

        Melanie glanced at her watch. She still had time. According to the sign on the door, the Department of Motor Vehicles closed at 5:00. She needed to transfer the title on her new-used car. Hopefully, it wouldn’t take long.
        As soon as she walked in, she felt the tension. Men and women sprawled in plastic chairs, staring at the electronic number on the wall. Children fussed. A baby cried. Only two windows were open to serve the customers.
        Melanie took a number and sat down. “What’s your number?” the woman next to her asked.
        “666”      

        “It’s your lucky day—not.”


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Monday, August 17, 2015

The Dream Tree



The Pescadero Poets went to the Paris Art Gallery in July. We each chose a painting and wrote a poem about it. I love the bright colors in this painting! I hope I can write a poem worthy of it.

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Mary Had a Little Lamb



 Better late than never with my WonHundredWord Wednesday post. Hope you’ll enjoy it!

The prompt: The stranger before him looked exactly like the girl he’d dreamt about

        The sheep spread out in the meadow, cropping the grass. Seated under a nearby tree, Jedediah drank from his water gourd. He closed his eyes but didn’t sleep. He knew better. Wolves lurked on the mountain. Instead, he passed the time daydreaming. He imagined himself a knight, not a shepherd boy, rescuing a fair maiden—a  blue-eyed girl with long blonde braids, holding a golden wand.
        “Hello?” a voice asked. The stranger before him looked exactly like the girl he’d dreamt about, but she held a lamb not a wand.      
        “Where did you find it?” he asked.
        “In a dream.”


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Thursday, August 6, 2015

Happy Ending?



I had a lot of fun writing this one.

Today’s prompt: As the dream faded, she chased it, forlorn.

        With a heartfelt sigh, Amanda typed the last sentence of her novel: As the dream faded, she chased it, forlorn. Her readers expected a happy ending, but she wasn’t in the mood for happy endings.
        As a block-buster romance writer, Amanda was expected to have a hottie boyfriend. Jason fit all the requirements. He was tall, dark, and handsome but he was already married. Sipping her green smoothie, she read the last sentence again. Why “forlorn”? There were plenty of fish in the pond, and many of them were still single. Amanda grinned as she hit the backspace key.

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Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Happy Birthday!




        

Today’s prompt: When she opened the door, she wished . . .


        It was Aimee’s birthday, her twenty-ninth. The day she had dreaded all year. She thought birthdays were over-rated, like Valentine’s Day. No one had mentioned her birthday at work. Why celebrate it? Why celebrate growing old?
        Aimee was still single. Not unattractive exactly but not a hottie, either. She’d been married once and was hesitant to get involved again, especially with a boozer. Her ex liked to celebrate birthdays. It was an excuse to get drunk.
        When she opened the door, she wished she had a beer in the fridge. 
       “Surprise!” The whole office had squeezed into her living room.


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Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Dark Alaskan Night




Today’s prompt: She felt for the lock in the dark.

        Blast this Alaskan winter, Alison grumbled. Twenty hours of darkness. But she was getting used to it. This was her third winter at the oil rig north of Barrow. She managed the office, a better-paying job than the one she’d left in Seattle. She’d met her husband here, too. Jim was somewhere on the pipeline today. She sighed, missing his sweet good-morning kiss. Her boots crunched in the snow as she approached the office door. No light shone through the windows. She was the first to arrive. Key in hand, she felt for the lock in the dark.


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Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Only Seconds



Today’s prompt: The attack was over in seconds

Brian called to his wife, “Alyssa, come watch this.”
“Is it the Budweiser commercial?”
“No, it’s the news.”
She brought a bowl of chips and dip into the living room where a special news bulletin had interrupted Super Bowl 50. 
“The electric grid’s been hacked,” Brian said. “The whole west coast is dark. They’re rioting in the streets.”
“We’re at war,” Alyssa said. “But who’s the enemy?”
He shrugged. “ISIS will claim responsibility, even if they’re not capable of it.”
“Hackers in China?”
“Maybe,” he said. “The attack was over in seconds, but suddenly we’re back in the Middle Ages.”

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Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Waiting and Wondering



Today’s prompt: He was older than she’d thought he would be.

        Krista glanced at her phone. 2:36. She’d been waiting almost an hour. The secretary behind the window chatted on the phone. Leave it to Beaver in black and white played on the television.
        Krista crossed her leg. Swung it back and forth. Uncrossed it and crossed the other leg.
        She was about to leave when the doctor opened the door. He was older than she’d thought he would be. Grandfatherly, in fact.
        “Sorry to keep you waiting.” His glasses perched low on his nose.  “Come in.”
        She needed the meds. Badly. Already her hands were shaking. Will he believe me?


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Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Take That Call!



        Today’s prompt: He looked at his phone, turned pale, then quickly left the room.

        The president sat at the long, mahogany table, surrounded by his cabinet members. The mood in the room was tense. No one spoke.
        “What procedure should we follow?” the president asked. “Putin needs an answer.”
        The Secretary of State cleared his throat. “Shall I fly to Moscow tonight?”
        “Not yet.”
        The Darth Vader theme played, ominous in the silence.
        The president loosened his tie. “I better take this.” He looked at his phone, turned pale, then quickly left the room.
        “Putin’s got ears in here,” the Secretary of Defense whispered. “The room’s bugged.”
        He pulled his finger and farted.

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Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Why Is He Late?




The prompt: With him, she’d had some wonderfully stable times.



                “Hello, I’m Sarah Wells, and I’m an alcoholic.” She looked at the men and women in the room—retired grandfathers, working mothers, even college students. All addicted to alcohol.
        “I haven’t had a drink in three months,” she said, “ever since I met Rob.”
        She smiled, remembering how they’d met at an AA meeting. They both shared common interests and common problems. With him, she’d had some wonderfully stable times.
        “Rob isn’t here tonight, and I’m worried. If he starts drinking again, I hope I can stay sober.”
         Sarah heard the door open and turned around.
        Rob smiled. “Hi, sweetie.”


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Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Hold Your Horses!





Today’s prompt: It started with a chance meeting on a film set.

Sounds romantic, doesn’t it?

        It started with a chance meeting on a film set. Cassie was the costume designer. Dan was the horse wrangler. The stars of the movie were Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, but the real drama happened offstage. Angelina’s pants split when she mounted her horse, and Brad laughed. Big mistake. His horse reared, spilling Brad in a pile of dung.
        The director swore and the cameras stopped. Filming couldn’t resume until Cassie and Dan came to the rescue. That was almost ten years ago. Brad and Angelina are now married with six children. Cassie and Dan have four. 

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Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Moving On




        


Today’s prompt: He had kept their mother alive in their thoughts. Too alive, perhaps. . .
       
        He had kept their mother alive in their thoughts. Too alive, perhaps. They weren’t ready for him to consider remarrying.
        His teenage daughter prepared Lillie’s meatloaf every Thursday night, just as her mother once had. His ten year-old son always included Lillie in his prayers.
        “Let’s pray for Sarah tonight,” his daddy said, hoping to move on.
         “I don’t want to.  She gives me the creeps.”
        “She’s nice. She’s pretty, and she likes you a lot.”
         The boy scrunched his nose. “She smells like stinky perfume. Are you going to kiss her?”
        His daddy smiled. “I already have.”

        “Barf!”



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Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Faster than a Speeding Thumb




Today’s prompt: The text message simply said, ‘Very clever.’

My flash fiction was inspired by recent news stories.


        “Madame Secretary,” the ambassador said. “We have a lot more to discuss before we reach an understanding.”

        She didn’t answer. Her attention focused on the smart phone clutched in her hand.

        He cleared his throat. “The sanctions are intolerable.” 

        Still no response.

         Did she hear anything I said? “The sanctions will have to be lifted as part of any agreement.”

        Her thumbs tapped furiously.

        Frowning, he removed the phone from his pocket and thumbed a nuclear threat.


        She finally met his gaze, her eyes wide. She didn’t speak, but replied in kind. The text message simply said, ‘Very clever.’

Check out what Jenna wrote. I think you'll like it!



Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Time's Fun When You're Having Flies




Today’s prompt: That summer seemed to last forever

Amelia was a bookworm. If she wasn’t asleep, she had her nose in a book. Even while eating or on the toilet, she read a book. Her summer plans included reading all the books in the teen section of the library, but her parents had different ideas. “You need to get outdoors. Camp Runamuck will be perfect!” her mother said. “I went there when I was a kid. There’s canoeing on the lake, archery lessons, ghost stories around the campfire, and guess what? Boys!”
        Amelia had no choice. She went. That summer seemed to last forever—until she met Zack.


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Wednesday, May 6, 2015

False Pride





It’s WonHundred Word Wednesday again. Flash fiction is challenging and fun. Hope you enjoy it.

Today’s prompt: She hadn’t realized she’d buried her memories of her teenage years.


Shelly stared at her chicken divan. Bland with broccoli.  Mr. Pitchford, her former high school principal, ate it like candy. No wonder he’d gained at least one hundred pounds over the past twenty years. She hadn’t recognized him when he introduced himself at the airport. She couldn’t recognize any of the former students in her graduating class, either.  She hadn’t realized she’d buried her memories of her teenage years in a dark part of her soul where hurt never surfaced. They’d invited her to speak because she’d won an Oscar. She deserved another for the performance she’d give them tonight.

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