Tag: Friday Fictioners

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?”

20103649

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.

Flash Fiction, tutto e niente

Nothing

Tina Stewart Brakebill

Nothing could have prepared Sue for the surge. She had always known she was different but this …. This was more than different. This was some freak level stuff.

She could feel the agitated hum of the crowd as they realized something wasn’t right.

And then a shift. Subtle at first. Agitation turning into fear. Swelling.

Could they smell it? Or did panic spread like a wave?

No one looked her way. No one knew it was her.

She felt the power surging again. But this time instead of fearing it, she embraced it.

Nothing could stop her now.

jhardy-image

Photo prompt courtesy of J Hardy Carroll

Well … my positive writing outlook lasted two days! Maybe later I’ll try to reclaim it. Meanwhile, thanks to  Rochelle’s Friday Fictioners Challenge and Fandango’s WOTD Challenge (nothing) for giving me inspiration to channel my-always-present dark side.

Flash Fiction, tutto e niente

Someday I’ll Get There

Tina Stewart Brakebill

“Someday I’ll get there.” No one could hear her, but she screamed the words. Trying to drown out the cynical voice in her head.

But that voice always echoed louder: “You’re making a fool of yourself. Just stop. Stop painting. Stop running. Just stop.”

She knew that voice was right. Everyone was gone. Not hiding out in Atlanta. Not waiting for her. Gone. All of them.  

Still … she almost had captured his essence. She just needed to finish before she forgot his face. A few more strokes. That’s all. She couldn’t stop. Not now.  

“Someday I’ll get there.”

palettes

This 99 word bit of optimistic delusion was inspired by Rochelle’s Friday Fictioners Challenge (photo credit to her as well) with a cynical boost from Fandango’s FOWC and a great opening line from Putting My Feet in the Dirt.

Flash Fiction, Random Rants, tutto e niente

Who’s Counting

Tina Stewart Brakebill

Three days. It had been three days since they delivered the box. Technically, three days, four hours, and 37 minutes. But who’s counting.

She knew he was there. The gate squeaked. It had been over two weeks since he’d left. Technically 15 days, three hours, and 22 minutes. But who’s counting.

Or 14 days, 21 hours, and 13 minutes since he’d returned. Drunk, sunburned, screaming multiple profanities at her window. But who’s counting.

Maybe he’s dead. Like Benjamin. And Lila. One more makes 213,323. But who’s counting.

Alone. Still. 197 days, three hours, and 23 minutes. But who’s counting.

(99 words. But who’s counting.)

the-gate

PHOTO PROMPT © Jean L. Hays

Thanks to Rochelle and her Friday Fictioners Challenge.

Channeling my negative energy into words. At least I’m writing. UGH!

Flash Fiction, tutto e niente

Karen v. Karen

Tina Stewart Brakebill

“If only there were more.”

“More what Aunt Karen?”

Glaring out the window, she pressed record before declaring “More people like me. Patriotic citizens. People who care about what’s happening to this country.”

“He’s just cleaning the windows. Why are you recording him?” I hadn’t seen her in years but I steeled myself for the nonsense that I imagined was about to come out of her mouth.

“I’m not. I’m recording that women hassling him. Now be a good boy and open the window so I can tell her to go to hell before I post this.”

the-view

Thanks to Putting My Feet in the Dirt for a great opening line (if only there were more) and to Rochelle’s Friday Fictioners for the photo inspiration.

“We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. This is the divine mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do.” – Mahatma Gandhi

BE A GOOD KAREN NOT A BAD KAREN!