She sang beautifully. When it ended they rose to their feet in awe and appreciation, begging for more.
“Ever heard of having too much of a good thing?” she chided them. Still they implored her: a little longer!
To prove her point, she barred the exits during her three-day encore.
She had preferred it when her table was simply empty. An empty table could some day be filled.
What could you do with a table once it had become a grave?
Stilling her only child’s dying spasms, she emptied herself of tears, filling the empty places with resentment, determination, revolution.
This story is based on a title suggested by Ryan Culley-Waters.
“You must sue,” said Bernard.
“Do I have to? I’m not feeling all that litigious.”
Bernard scratched his head. He had never had such a stubborn client before. “I’m afraid it’s your only option,” he repeated.
“Really?”
“Yes, you must, Sue. You see, I am wearing my law suit today.”
This story was based on a title suggested by Timothy Maness.
“I’m a world-class artiste!” the actress pronounced. “I require the perfect environment to nurture my delicate muse.”
“So it’s your muse who eats six pounds of blue Smarties every day, then?” muttered her browbeaten young assistant.
“Silly boy; we don’t eat them! We throw them out the window at people.”
Creative people are weird. Cough.
This story was based on a title suggested by @Vigafray.
The sign said “$10 for photo and handshake; hugs and autographs extra”. The queue said “Yes, please!”
“I love hearing the sheep crack open their wallets,” muttered the author of “How to Spot a Con Man,” measuring his stack of money against his stack of books and stifling a devilish grin.
This story was based on the prompt “crack open the” at TypeTrigger.
I want to extend a big thank you to my special guest writers this week. They are all great, creative people, and their own work deserves your support!
Alex Steacy and Jeremy Petter both work with Loading Ready Run, though Jer has just taken a leave to go back to school. Alex just released a collaborative graphic novel project called Shards. It costs $20 + shipping; send him a message on Twitter to find out more. I’m hoping to convince my wife to let me pick one up, myself!
Greg X. Graves just released a new book called Codex Necromantia. Learn more and buy it on Kindle here. I’m looking forward to reading my copy.
Justin Boyd has two webcomics going, and has dabbled with others in the past. I’ve been reading both Left-Handed Toons and Invisible Bread for quite a while, and they’re both hilarious. Plus, LHT just reduced the price of their book to $6, which is an amazing deal. Go pick it up! My copy keeps my toilet very good company.
Nathaniel Towers runs Bartleby Snopes, an online literary magazine. I haven’t had anything accepted there yet, but I’ll be doing some more submitting, I’m sure! Nate’s first novel, A Reason to Kill, can be purchased here.
Thanks again to all of these guest writers for contributing over the past week.
And don’t forget, Fifty-Word Stories: Volume Two will be released on Monday, September 12! It’ll be in the Kindle Store for $2.99, and print orders will be shipping out as soon as I get the books and shirts from their respective printers. If you haven’t ordered yet, go ahead and grab your copy!
On a walk I saw a dying cicada mating with a fully dead one. It was a silent act. None of the annoying buzz.
With a flickering of one wing, the dying bug ceased all movement. I wondered if it was necrophilia or one last chance to make a mark.
Nathaniel Tower writes fiction, teaches English, and manages the online lit magazine Bartleby Snopes. His short fiction has appeared in over 50 online and print magazines. A story of his, “The Oaten Hands,” was named one of 190 notable stories by storySouth’s Million Writers Award in 2009. His first novel, A Reason To Kill, was released in July 2011. Visit him at www.bartlebysnopes.com/ntower.htm.
Lightning crashed.
Wind whistled through the trees. He was only halfway through Greensleeves before Lightning asked if whistling was not maybe just a bit too jaunty, given their predicament.
Wind complied as he helped his friend untangle himself from his airbag. “Just try not to crash so hard next time.”
Jeremy Petter is a student of English Literature and Theatre at the University of Victoria. Until recently, he wrote, performed, and sometimes edited funny things for LoadingReadyRun.com, but he’s on indefinite hiatus at the moment to grow his brain. He is a co-organizer of Desert Bus for Hope, and an avid fan of ducks.
He tried desperately to keep the merchandise hidden under his shirt, but the guard had already noticed his fumbling.
“Maybe you should’ve worked out a bit before trying to steal those heavy weights!” laughed the security guard.
“What do you think I want them for?” retorted the scrawny boy.
“Touché.”
Justin Boyd writes and draws the webcomic Invisible Bread and is half of the duo behind Left-Handed Toons. He previously contributed Dental Scare.
Ronette hated bears.
One sat on her convertible.
The bear rustled the bag of chips on its snout.
She threw some chips into the back yard. The bear went after them.
Ronette started the convertible and sped away, but stopped as the bear cub wasn’t in a child safety seat.
Greg X. Graves likes monsters, ghost monsters, alien monsters, beast monsters, and monster monsters. Read more about them on his site, www.gregxgraves.com.