Tag Archives: Tom O’Brien

TOM O’BRIEN: Take Me, Not Her

Artistic, Submissions, Touching, , , ,

The universe hears you and grants your wish.

Your daughter’s eyes open. She’s lying between skid marks and doesn’t know why. Pain is proof of life.

The sirens called for her surround you. Through first responder feet she sees the braided bracelet she made you wear.

Her wish goes unheard.

Tom O’Brien has words in numerous places including EllipsisZine, Reflex, Spelk and Blink-Ink. His Novella-in-Flash Straw Gods is published by Reflex Press. He’s on Twitter at @tomwrote and his website is tomobrien.co.uk.

TOM O’BRIEN: Lunch With the Boss

Amusing, Submissions, , , ,

He’s not as smart as his haircut, nor sharp as his suit, and nowhere near as polished as his shoes. “Bright” would have to be on a triple word score before someone used it about him, but times are tough so you smile and say, “Very droll, sir, very droll.”

Tom O’Brien is an Irishman living in London. He has words on many websites and in several print anthologies. His novella Straw Gods will be published by Reflex Press this year.

TOM O’BRIEN: Structural Integrity

Artistic, Submissions, , ,

They stopped listening when the truck hit us. From the back seat I’d been explaining Three- and Five-Act Structure.

The side door crumpled and I realised my mistake: this was Act Five of my story, not Act Two.

Maybe the Midpoint of the lorry driver’s arc, Point of No Return.

Tom O’Brien is an Irishman living in London. He’s been published in numerous places across the web and has short stories printed in Blood & Bourbon, Blink-Ink, and DEFY! Anthologies. His novella Straw Gods will be published by Reflex Press in 2020. He’s on Twitter at @tomwrote and his website is tomobrien.co.uk.

TOM O’BRIEN: Death and the Newborn

Artistic, Submissions, , , , , ,

Death heard the newborn’s cry and began his inevitable journey.

Sometimes he can save them early, but too often the path is arduous and slow. He weeps when he reaches them in old age: by then they have suffered a life too long, in all its illusion and false hope.

Tom O’Brien is an Irishman living in London. He’s been published in numerous places across the web and has been anthologised in Blood & Bourbon, Blink-Ink, DEFY! and twice in the Uncommon print collections. He’s on Twitter at @tomwrote and his website is tomobrien.co.uk.

TOM O’BRIEN: SPF

Amusing, Submissions, , , ,

We lie around the pool, melting, burning, toasting, marinating.

Nobody speaks, except for one woman berating her husband for not using sunscreen.

Later the waiter tells us they’ve been coming to this same hotel for twenty years. Well, twenty-three if you count the years since he died of skin cancer.

Tom O’Brien is an Irishman living in London. He’s been published in numerous places across the web and has short stories printed in Blood & Bourbon, Blink-Ink, and DEFY! Anthologies. His novella Straw Gods was shortlisted by Ellipsis Magazine in their publication competition.

TOM O’BRIEN: No Judgments

Amusing, Submissions, , , ,

“That’s only if you take ‘dimwitted incompetent moron’ to have negative connotations,” he said, sliding his hand along her shoulder in a motion that could have been reassuring, patronising, controlling, threatening, loving or just brushing away lint. “No judgment implied.”

Later she hit him with a hammer. Non-judgmentally, but hard.

Tom O’Brien is an Irishman living in London. He’s been published, long-listed, short-listed and placed in numerous competitions and publications around the web. He has a short story appearing in a forthcoming print anthology published by Blood & Bourbon. He’s on twitter @tomwrote and his website is tomobrien.co.uk.