After being married for thirty years he thought he’d pretty much figured her out, but when she came home with a baby crocodile for Christmas he realized she was as beautifully, wonderfully mysterious to him now as she always had been, which wasn’t much consolation when it ate the dog.
Category Archives: Artistic
CHRISTIAN BLUNSCHI: A Pity
In all of the world there had never been another one like it.
It was magnificent.
It would cure world hunger.
It would bring peace.
It would make humankind safe forever.
A pity that it was in the jacket pocket with the hole as he passed by the open sewer.
Christian doesn’t normally write, but he has some artwork at http://chrigeloz.deviantart.com.
Falcon Midnight and the Treachery
Captain Falcon Midnight activated the intercom. “Ignore the klaxon,” she told the passengers. “It’s faulty wiring.”
“You’re not telling them about the space pirates?” asked first mate Michael Firefist.
“Don’t want them to panic,” said Midnight.
“Fine,” said Firefist, jabbing her with his space taser.
Then he dropped the shields.
Today’s story was based on character names provided by @MisterFiendZero and @danzama.
Monkey Bar Highway
The virus targeted only medical professionals and civil engineers.
No one was left who knew how to figure out why the plague had targeted such a specific population. But that wasn’t the biggest problem: city planning failed, crooked minds prevailed, and before long, the streets were made of monkey bars.
BRUCE RYTEL: The Battlegrid
I never understood checkers.
When you leap over another piece, it’s captured? What, do they all have gigantic nets or something?
And why flat discs? Why not something more representative, like in chess?
When the UFOs began to descend, I realized the truth: they had been preparing us for war.
Soon to be a student of culinary arts and therefore thrilled that he can call himself an “art student” and act pretentious on a technicality, Bruce Rytel’s hobbies include writing, gaming, and going by a pseudonym.
BOB HARRIS: I Am Just Going Outside
The blizzard worsens. I can’t believe I’ve slept. Did not want to wake.
Thinking of my mother, Caroline, and my dear Etta.
I won’t see them or the Terra Nova again.
My mind’s made up.
I am just going outside and may be some time.
Dedicated by the author to Captain Lawrence E.G.Oates, 6th Inniskilling Dragoons.
Died March 1912.
TIM SEVENHUYSEN: Horse-Whale Hoedown
On Friday nights the walruses fight
They stab and tear and grimace
With merciless glee they redden the sea
The wounds they inflict are grievous
Alliances crumble, allegiances tumble
For walruses love to betray
Their blubbery bellies wriggle like jelly
With laughter, blood-lust, and dismay
On Fridays the walruses play
This story was based on a prompt from @Ad134, who responded to a call for two verbs and an adjective with laugh, betray, and blubbery. (I took a bit of liberty with “laugh,” though.)
CYNDI PAUWELS: The Last Hurrah
It wasn’t so much the ghastly smile that turned my stomach as the whiskey vapors souring the air in the filthy bedroom.
His eyes were locked in a vacant stare.
What did he see?
“Can we move the body, Detective?”
Eyes riveted to his, I stepped aside as death triumphed.
Cyndi Pauwels writes suspense novels, short stories and essays. Now if only she could sell something…
http://cpatlarge.blogspot.com/
SABRINA A.HICKS: A Hard Life Lesson Learned Too Late
Mouse hid in the dark corner. The piece of bread laying on the floor looked like a complete meal to the starving mammal.
Fear set aside, ready to jump into the world feet first, he blindly took his chance.
Cat had its dinner, slurping the tail like a spaghetti noodle.
Sabrina Hicks has a passion for writing and animal rights. Besides writing she donates time at animal shelters and now owns three dogs, one cat, and a bird.
ERIN STERLING: Mutability
She was soft-spoken, quiet, and reserved. Her favorite word was mutability. She loved the idea of it, loved the concept of transformation and change.
He was brash, loud, and arrogant. His favorite thing to do was orate forcefully about the overwhelming inevitability of fate.
It was love at first fight.
Erin Sterling is constantly undergoing training montages to be an editor. When she is not training, she is stage managing, staffing at a community-based larping group, or sleeping.