“I have never before encountered such impudence!” blustered the King. “It is an affront! It is an outrage! Insulting! Degrading! Disrespectful! I should have you put in the stocks, clapped in irons, hanged, beheaded! You’re just so very, very… Well, impudent!”
“My most humble and sincere apologies,” said the imp.
This story was based on the prompt “never before” at TypeTrigger.
“Let those feelings go!” the counselor suggests. “Pour them out across the floor! It’ll help.”
I start with a single teardrop dripped onto the carpet. Then suddenly I’m on my knees flailing my fists, bang bang bang.
I’m cured. I forgive my father.
But man do I hate floors now.
This story was based on the prompt “pour it out” at TypeTrigger.
They decide to spent some time apart so they can get their priorities straight, sort out their emotions, and gain a new perspective on their situation.
It changes nothing. Within a month they’re back where they started, lying on that operating table, begging the surgeon to stitch them back together.
This story was based on the prompt “time apart” at TypeTrigger.
My neighbours are quiet, peaceful and private. It’s great, because it would suck to be interrupted by nosy, whining neighbours during my thrice-weekly parties.
When I shoot off fireworks at 2 AM they come out and yell until they’re blue in the face. That’s how I know they’re really enjoying it.
This story was based on the prompt “loud neighbor” at TypeTrigger.
In fair weather or foul, the mail must get through.
No one knows why anymore. It has been possible for a decade to send any message electronically and to replicate or actuate any object that might previously have required physical transportation.
I suppose the mail carriers have a good union.
This story was based on the prompt “in fair weather” on TypeTrigger.
“It’s Leap Day!” said Benjamin Bear. “Let’s have an adventure!”
“We could go swimming in the ocean!” said Bartholomew Bear.
The two boys ran to the shore and dove in, laughing and splashing and playing.
“Swimming is pawsome!” they said.
“More like jawsome,” said Samuel Shark, eyeing them from below.
This story was based on a pun I saw on a McDonald’s Happy Meal bag.
Crying, bleeding, a runny nose. Sadness, injury, sickness. Why is there this connection between trauma and the loss of bodily fluids?
I drink 10 litres of milk, apple juice, and water every day, because if liquid out is bad, then liquid in is good.
But the ceaseless urination hurts my soul.
He wants to choose a woman – not the other way around. But not being chosen infuriates him. One woman wants him, platonically. “She’s stringing me on,” says Paul.
He likes her but can’t stand her.
She can’t decide to leave the church. “She’s a nun,” adds Paul, “a great gal.”
Yveta Shanfeldová, born in Prague in 1957, is the author of two published poetry books: Night Jugular Shaft (Host, Brno, Czech Republic, 2006) and In Place of Sundays (MaPa, Brno, Czech Republic, 2008).
“Captain Jon was the meanest captain on the sea. He forced the sailors who disobeyed him to walk the…”
“Are you telling the girls about scary pirates again?” interrupted mother. “I don’t want you to give them bad dreams.”
“…To walk the time out deck until they cooperated,” continued father.
Abby W. is a member of Todd Battaglia’s Grade 7 Language Arts class.
This story is a finalist for the Audience Choice Award and the Grand Prize.
When the drunken, raging pirate burst into the peaceful bed-and-breakfast, the patrons fled their meals for safety.
The inkeeper, however, knew that customer service comes first. Even pirates need a place to stay, and money is money.
He managed to say, “Greetings! How may—” before the cutlass took his head.
Brandon King is a volunteer for Leading Edge Magazine, an awesome sci-fi/fantasy publication that will publish and/or edit your short stories, poems, or artwork.
This story is a finalist for the Audience Choice Award and the Grand Prize.