Tag: creative writing

Flash Fiction, tutto e niente

a better day

Tina Stewart Brakebill

Some days were better than others. He’d leave the house. Buy groceries. Walk in the park. Feed the squirrels. Try to go on without her.

But most days were bad. On those days he’d stay in bed. Thinking only of her. Hurting as badly as he had that first day without her.

And then there was today. The anniversary of that terrible day. 365 days of pain. And planning. Now it was time.

He imagined them. Walking hand-in-hand on the boardwalk. Oblivious to his pain.

Reaching into his bag, he smiled. Today was going to be a better day.

steeplechase

Photo Prompt © Roger Bultot

I swear this started out as a sweet story but at about word 63, it turned … well, I’ll let y’all be the judge and end it for yourselves. What’s he reaching for?

Thanks, as always, to Rochelle’s Friday Fictioners Challenge for providing inspiration.

Flash Fiction, tutto e niente

2020 Strikes Again

Tina Stewart Brakebill

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

I had imagined this moment so many times.

Written stories. Blogged my theories. Argued with reddit idiots. Once I even tried to paint a picture.

And almost every night I dreamed about it. Beautiful dreams. Colors swirling. Humming anticipation. And me in the center of it all! Bathed in light. Me!

CHOSEN. Because I believed. Because I never lost the faith.

Instead, I’m watching from the sidelines as this drab gray lump tonelessly utters the most banal phrase possible: “Take me to your leader.”

Ha! Joke’s on it.

2020 really is the worst!

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Photo courtesy of https://sarahpotterwrites.com/

This photo instantly reminded me of The Day the Earth Stood Still. Add in the constant disappointments of 2020 and Fandango’s FOWC  (TRITE) for which I subbed in banal because I liked the way it sounds 😉 and you get this 100 word story for Rochelle’s Friday Fictioners Challenge. 

Please enjoy.

Flash Fiction, tutto e niente

but, still (or the magic door)

Tina Stewart Brakebill

Susan felt like a fool. It was 1977 not 1957. My god, she was a liberated woman! How could she fall for his line?  

Stupid!

But, still, she stayed. Remembering. Champagne. His voice in her ear. “I can’t tell you where I’m going but meet me here on Christmas Eve.”

Stupid!

Did she think she was Deborah Kerr in some kind of Hollywood movie? She should go.

Stupid!

But, still, she stayed. Remembering. Laughter. Sparkling blue eyes. “This’ll be our magical place.”

Stupid!

But, still, she stayed. Waiting. Till she heard those whispered words: “Hey beautiful. Is this seat taken?”

magic-door

Photo prompt courtesy of Dale Rogerson

These 100 hopeful words were written for Rochelle’s Friday Fictioners Challenge.

Was it in her head or did he come through the magical doors?

Flash Fiction, tutto e niente

Time

Tina Stewart Brakebill

Time has lost all meaning. Had it been one year? Twenty years? One hundred? More? She had stopped trying to count the days long ago. But she had believed–really believed–she’d be able to note the seasons. Hoping to mark the years. Imagining she’d be able to picture their faces as time passed.

She had wanted to be prepared. Be ready for the day when this ended. To not flinch when she saw her mother’s weary eyes and her father’s body wracked by time. To smile when her baby brother gazed down on her instead of reaching up for a hug. To love what is instead of mourning what was lost.

But the light was funny and she got confused. Never knowing whether she had slept for moment or a day or more. So she lost track of the seasons. Couldn’t count the years. She still felt as if she was waiting. Hoping. But she was no longer sure why. Or what she was hoping for.

For him to save her?

For an axe to end the lingering hope?

For a fire to burn them both to ash and scatter their doomed love into the wind?

For time to end?

The light was growing dim again. Perhaps she’d sleep for a moment. She could think about this another time. That was one thing she knew.

There was always more time.

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The image is provided by Janek-Sedlar at DeviantArt and shared thanks to Fandango’s Flash Fiction Challenge.

Thanks!! I needed a kick in the butt to write some FF.

Flash Fiction, tutto e niente

Welcome to the Neighborhood

Tina Stewart Brakebill

garlique

Jessie tried (unsuccessfully) to keep her expression neutral, but the cottage was perfect! Exactly as advertised. Exposed brick. Plank floors. Fireplaces. A patio for morning coffee and afternoon wine.

“So what do you think?”

“It seems nice but …” She scrambled for some price-reducing flaws. “… but what’s with all the garlic?”

“Seller quirk. Easy fix. Let’s talk price.”

—————————————————————

As Jessie watched the sun set from her newly garlic-free patio, she heard knocking. Finding a gorgeous—albeit very pale—man on her doorstep, she said “Yes” before he even finished asking.  

“Welcome neighbor. Invite me in for a drink?”

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Thanks to Rochelle’s Friday Fictioners Challenge for the inspiration for this 100-word piece of Flash Fiction. Plus I got to use a photo of one of my fave vampires-Eric.