Last week’s winning story is Sitting by Jennifer L Freed!
ANOUSHE SEIFF: A Little Duck
Little duck,
born a runt, in muck,
wouldn’t last long.
She gave him a cage, gave luck.
He twisted, turned,
head to the sky, bet it burned,
flicked his wings one last time, twitching.
Her tears ran fast; she adjourned.
Death devours.
Painlessness fills eyes
beneath a bed of flowers.
Anoushe Seiff is from Chicago, IL. She writes in her spare time. Anoushe will be attending Drake University in the fall, studying Law/Politics, Psychology, and Arabic. Her hobbies include watching Criminal Minds, playing with her cats, and attending conventions and concerts.
JEFF SWITT: If Thinking Outside the Box is a Cliché, Is it Really Thinking Outside the Box?
“Think outside the box,” demanded Mr. Big. This company needs innovation.
“Yessir!” answered three voices in harmony.
One suggested a company necktie.
Another, free vending machines.
“Mobile offices?” asked the third.
“Jones. What about you?” questioned Mr. Big
I closed the lid on my box and went back to work.
Jeff Switt is a retired advertising agency guy who loves writing flash fiction, some days to curb his angst, other days to fuel it. His words have been featured online at Dogzplot, Boston Literary Magazine, Nailpolish Stories, 50-Word Stories, 100 Word Story, A Story In 100 Words, 101 Word Stories, and Shotgun Honey, and have appeared at lots of places that take whatever you send in.
JOHN H DROMEY: The Hush-Hush Mush Affair
Secret Ops briefing.
“Our suspect is addicted to tanning salons. His getaway dogsled team was one husky short, so he substituted a gnome.”
“Sir, in mushing, haw is left, right?”
“Right, but the replacement was on the right.”
The sergeant pressed on.
“Welcome to the Hue Man Gee Gnome Project.”
John H. Dromey has had short fiction published in Gumshoe Review, Plan B Magazine, Plasma Frequency Magazine, and elsewhere.
THOMAS SUMMERSON: Hunting the Hunter
I saw her today and I knew what she was immediately. After some hours of watching her pickpocket unwary airport travelers, I want to meet her and know her.
No one here knows that I’m a predator of a much more dangerous kind, and neither does she as I approach.
Thomas Summerson is a daydreamer and storyteller. He writes every day, as work and family life allows, of course. He dreams and labors toward the day when he can leave the day job behind and write full time. “Twenty years of schoolin’ and they put ya on the day shift.” It’s true Bob, it’s so true.
INDU PILLAI: After Dark
The room’s dark. The blue light of the computer screen illuminates his face, its raw desire. He clicks on a name he hasn’t tried before: Double Trouble, a buxom blonde.
The chat room opens to a promising skin show. He is staring into the eyes of his wife, working late.
Indu Pillai writes poetry and fiction when she is not reading poetry and fiction. She delights in all kinds of stories, written and unwritten. During the day, she works in her design studio. Follow her on Twitter.
LAURA MARION ROSE: Anabolic Idolatry
“You’re like an Adonis, chiseled in stone,” she scoffed.
Oblivious, he pulled her into his perfectly sculpted arms. She pushed away, repulsed by the rocky feel of his muscled flesh.
Heedless, he savored his god-like reflection in the mirror, flexed his bulging biceps, then reached for another testosterone cocktail hit.
A scientist by trade and writer by nature, Laura searches for fiction that is truer than life, conjuring up stories that both draw and promise relief from years spent in a fact-filled, SciTech world.
AJ PIERZ: Selfless
Reality became clearer as the epidural lost its grip on her. She looked down at her beautiful creation, counting ten fingers and ten toes.
The room was bursting with happiness for the new addition to their family.
Her heart shriveled as she handed over her baby to his new mother.
AJ Pierz is from St. Paul, Minnesota, and is currently working on her debut novel. Follow her on Twitter.
JASON HUYNH: Pain Beneath the Ink
The burly biker stormed in, sleeve rolled up to expose “Christina”. One glance and I knew.
As the tattoo machine drew the line, I patiently listened to him curse at her. A long silence followed.
He winced, seeing the crossed-out name through sorrowful tears. Ink could only cover, not remove.
On a lighter note, Jason is enjoying his summer.
STORY OF THE WEEK – July 12
Last week’s winning story is Blood Diamonds by Patricia Albela-Silver!