Flash Club March Flash Club Competition

[Emily]

For our March challenge, I thought we might try our hand again at "Minisagas".

THEME:
This month, the theme is a happy / inspirational / uplifting tale to try to offset, if only a few moments, the awful things happening all around the world.

RULES:
There are exactly 50 words in the story; the title can be up to 15 words. It is a complete story. There is a start, middle and a meaningful end.

-The main rule here: we ask you not to critique.

-Please make your entry anonymous by clicking the anonymous button, but if you forget, don't worry, that's okay too. (Note: Guardians can see who posts.)

VOTING:
The entry with the most votes on the 31st of March 2022, will be the winner of an extraordinary hand-crafted (!!) virtual trophy. And, more importantly: some of our very prized, and internationally-renowned, virtual Litopi-cake.


The competition is open to all members. Feel free to enter more than once.


Best of luck!

 

[Anonymous]

Another Brian, the Witch and the Walrus story...

Wally broke the kettle. We popped to Argos.

“Number 666, to your collection point.”

A yawning chasm to Hell opened. Flaming tentacles gripped our ankles, pulled us down.

Blinding flash! The shop filled with bubbles and flowers. Witchy magick.

Miranda stood in the doorway. ‘Saved your asses.’

Love my lodgers.

 

[Anonymous]

Reflections In and Upon Nature's Mirrors Provides Powerful Medicine

Before rain, we walk along the river; boulder-strewn, water cascading, listening to its rush.

Slow-breathe. Senses connect.

We share the same air: trees, birds, rocks, dog, us. Ponder that. The current purifies our togetherness.

Dog leaps.

Heron knows; lifts mystic blue cloud from baptised rock. Outward gaze benefits inward smile.

 

[Anonymous]

redemption
I’m gay. Two words. Three without the contraction. So simple, so damnable.
She shares the post.

They’ll say I’m perverted. They’ll say I’m going to Hell.
She trembles. Waits.

Then a miracle happens.
You’re loved.
You’re beautiful.
You’re worth it.
Those simple words feel like redemption. Fall like healing rain.

 

[Anonymous]

pit
In the trailer park, some shoot him with BBs, the man says. Seems to be ten weeks old.
Our family rescues him.
He fears large men, hates guns.
Yellow lab body, pit skull.
He’s protective. Beloved, treasured.
Dies of old age, natural causes. We paint his picture. We remember him.

 

[Anonymous]

Adulting

On a white stick, two lines grow stronger, firmer.

Friends share their commiserations. Adulting has trapped me.

At 3 months, little feet kick my ribs.

At 6 months, will this ever end?

Labour embarrasses me. Gunk. Poo.

Doctors pass over a bundle of baby, blood, goo.

I love this trap.

 

[Anonymous]

Soup

Cruel weather. Despite modern material ingenuity, once cold seeps in, harder to recede.

Months of stand-off, no washing water, barely to drink. No fuel, ammunition low. She approaches.

Bowl in hand, she smiles. He stares a moment as steam wisps rise.

Enough.

Discards Kalashnikov, takes off helmet, accepts her spoon.

 

[Anonymous]

At the Bottom of the Twisting Lane, Under the Flowering Horse Chestnut

Bills! Taxes! The forever house sold? Unthinkable. Yet, dreams end. New ones begin. Your bedside copy of Howard’s End gets knocked to the floor while packing. Generations of furniture, books, all entombed in storage containers. Maybe forever. Then you find the house with rebel ghosts and a fireplace sword rest.

 

[Anonymous]

In which a man races himself and wins

Before, when his body begged him to stop and his lungs burned and his legs throbbed, he acquiesced.

Now, he hardened himself. His legs shook; he pushed harder. His lungs ached; he breathed steadily. His body asked for respite; he ran faster. Eyes straight ahead. 26.2 in 2:23. Personal record.

 

[Anonymous]

life
The nurse says, “Call the kids. Not long now.”
They fly in from all over the nation. He remembers everyone’s name for the first time in ten years.
Grieve his death but celebrate his life.
His life: a beautiful story.
His legacy: six children, seventeen grandchildren, four great-grandchildren. And counting.

 

[Anonymous]

marathon: an extended period of torment endured to receive a prize or reach a goal

She doesn’t try a marathon until after childbirth.
Physically, her body threatens to fall apart.
Mentally, each wracking pain is just a contraction.
I’ve survived this before.
She crosses the line, forgets to smile for the pictures. Everything hurts. Tears of joy.
Five minutes later, the inexplicable Let’s do another.

 

[Anonymous]

Organic Italian lemons ordered off the internet squeezed limp. Peels saved to make Limoncello. 3 Eggs from Mabel, the chicken, separated. Whites whipped. Yolks added to the hot sugar mixture. Thick yellow lava poured into golden pastry. Topped with sweet meringue billows. Grandmama said, “When life goes sour. Make pie.”

 

[Anonymous]

Life’s a serendipitous mystery.

He points at the screen.
A badger waddles into grainy view.
A coyote greets it with play stance.
Badger ducks as coyote licks his muzzle.
Together they enter the tunnel bridge under the LA expressway.
Two bottoms wriggle companionably side by side to the other end.
“They’re friends!” he says.

 

[Anonymous]

Beyond my back fence, shrubs hide a hiking trail.
I start searching there, panicked.
“Daisy! Come back!”
Nothing.
I go farther.
Call again.
Through the bushes, black flashes.
Out of the undergrowth, a scraggily cat bounds, wearing wonky fluffy bunny ears.
Relieved, I hold arms wide.
Easter has struck out.

 

[Anonymous]

For our March challenge, I thought we might try our hand again at "Minisagas".

THEME:
This month, the theme is a happy / inspirational / uplifting tale to try to offset, if only a few moments, the awful things happening all around the world.

RULES:
There are exactly 50 words in the story; the title can be up to 15 words. It is a complete story. There is a start, middle and a meaningful end.

-The main rule here: we ask you not to critique.

-Please make your entry anonymous by clicking the anonymous button, but if you forget, don't worry, that's okay too. (Note: Guardians can see who posts.)

VOTING:
The entry with the most votes on the 31st of March 2022, will be the winner of an extraordinary hand-crafted (!!) virtual trophy. And, more importantly: some of our very prized, and internationally-renowned, virtual Litopi-cake.


The competition is open to all members. Feel free to enter more than once.


Best of luck!

Boy finds puppy.
Boy loses puppy.
Puppy finds boy.

 

[Anonymous]

Boy finds puppy.
Boy loses puppy.
Puppy finds boy.

This is 41 words short.

 

[Anonymous]

"Less is more," Hemingway said.

 

[Emily]

I know But unfortunately the rules have to still apply!!
RULES:
There are exactly 50 words in the story; the title can be up to 15 words. It is a complete story. There is a start, middle and a meaningful end.

Just need a few more words

 

[Anonymous]

Love life

First love.

Childhood crush. Secret torch, shaming scorch.

Second love.

First kiss. Heart aflame, heart broke.

Third love.

For-real (almost) love. Painful break, lucky escape.

Fourth love.

Best friend. Fell in like. Shared a life. Til death did us part.

Last love.

Surprise reprise. Hearts grow old. Love is gold.

 

[Anonymous]

Caravan Treehouse

Dunno how he got in the spruce; didnae ask.
We hauled our stuff twenty foot up the ladder, lit gas, made a brew.
No signal. No electric. What to do? We just breathed in the view.
Branches. Soft scraping needles. Birdsong. Thuk of raindrops.
Two days later, emerged different people.

 

[Anonymous]

Two Forks.

She's here again, drinking coffee with her friends. She gives me a smile, and I nod with a grin.

And as usual, they all laugh, so I walk away.

Lost typing words, someone sits at my table. I glance up from my laptop screen.

It's her, with cake to share.

 

[Anonymous]

Inspired by (borrowed from) the entry above . . . We're all in this together - or, the continuing adventures of puppy and boy . . .

Boy finds puppy
Boy loses puppy
Puppy finds boy

Puppy finds rabbit
Rabbit wrinkles nose
Chews carrot
What’s up dog?
Woof, says puppy
Not speaking rabbit

Boy comes back
Hello Mr Rabbit
What’s up boy?
Can I have carrot
And some for puppy?

Rabbit hops away
Leaving scattered carrot
Woof!

 

[Anonymous]

The Girl Who Was Loved

This is a story of a girl who was loved.
When I first learned about you, Mommy said, I was afraid.
The girl listened, focusing on Mommy’s ever-crooked septum ring. Mommy turned from the mug of coffee she gripped.
I chose you, Mommy whispered. My choice. And I love you.

 

[Anonymous]

Starting Again

The first time I went to the pub on my own, it felt like every eye was on me. The second time I ordered a drink, but fled before finishing it. The third time I forced a glass down.

'Hi,' you said, 'back again?'

Turned out you were lonely too.

 

[E G Logan]

For our March challenge, I thought we might try our hand again at "Minisagas".

For April, can we go back to the format used in November, please? I really enjoyed that. Remember, the dragons and lobsters one.

 

[Emily]

Oh YES! I was thinking of what we could do for April, and that would be perfect, thank you xxxxxxxxxx

 

[E G Logan]

OK. Will polish my lobsters and look forward.

 

[Emily]

Heartiest congratulations to @StaceyDale for her well-deserved winning entry this month

The much-coveted Virtual Trophy will be winging its way to you shortly!!

 

[Pamela Jo]

Congrats Stacey! That entry grabbed everyone by the heart strings like a newborns hand around a finger. Well done!