Micro-fiction

I hope you enjoy my little story This is an entry into the #ZapFic contest run by @feltbuzz Darkness to light “Helen” Mist shrouded the moonlight “Yes” “I feel so empty” “It’s because you...

Welcome to the Micro-fiction Contest The challenge is to produce a short story within the tight word limit of 250 words based on a one-word prompt The prompt word this week is "nest" The primary goal of this contest is...

The Walk It was time “Come,” the warden said He stood in the opening to Ricky’s cell, flanked by somber guards Ricky knew them well The warden, Aaron Mapleton, was gritty, brutal, but with soft spots...

Image source: Pixabay image by jpeter2 Stepping Out Marissa dabbed the cologne on her wrists and behind her ears Rocky had loved this scent “It’s like pheromones It makes me want you Right here, right now”...

Secrets of the Vine The vintner held up a glass Pure light shown through pale, golden wine, refracting, then exploding into starlight cast on the wall “Chardonnay” Christie nodded and stepped closer In that...

Image source: Pixabay image by jplenio The Impasse Ashley turned her back and looked out over the water “Just shut up, Ely I’m done” “Fine” Clouds had gathered over the lake, casting storm...

To the Fair Eddy announced he was fed up with this nonsense To get to the fair they would have to take two buses and a train, then walk ten blocks “Bernice, honey, I would rather fall into a pit of alligators No...

The donut shop was quiet, and Agnes enjoyed her coffee with a crisp old fashioned donut This was the best time of day The noisy teenagers were in class and at most there might be another senior citizen, or perhaps a...

It was 3:00 in the morning She watched out the window Had he been in an accident Was he in a ditch somewhere Or worse A vision of his maimed body in his crumpled vehicle flashed before her Helen pressed her fingers...

The Pouch Clara held onto the small pouch on the bus ride from St Paul to St Cloud Why were so many towns around here named for saints Dense fog shrouded the bus as if to confuse it, send it off course This was good...

Source: Pixabay image by Gerargosan Fear of Heights Jared hunkered down in the plane, feeling wretched He and his buddies would be dropped off with provisions in a remote area of Alaska for a survival trip He...

Landscape in Motion She was rolling downhill, tumbling over lumps of dewy grass Between rolls she saw her mother standing at the top of the hill in a red plaid dress, her hands on her hips “Anita! Get back up...

The Red Dress Jamie stood in front of the store looking at a mannequin in a red dress who bore an expression reminiscent of her sister Betty Betty always wore a dress well After a moment, Jamie went in The clerk...

Waiting for the Train Noah bounced on one foot His waffle had gone cold He couldn’t sit long enough to eat “But when will the train come” His mother moved around the kitchen, wiping spotless counters “This...

Image source: Pixabay On the way home Old Brent Heartwood made his way down the road Two steps Stop Two steps Stop He heard a giggle behind a roadside tree and looked up “Hello” A young girl emerged, her...

Image source: kordi_vahle, Pixabay Day's End The wastrels were dragging something along the beach Mindy and I hid in the tall grass It seemed we were always hiding She hunkered down “Maybe we could walk to...

Image source: Pixabay The Dove There she was again, whispering prayers “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee” “Clair” She turned in the pew “Hi John What are you doing here” He...

I've got two versions of the same 50-word story below I was just about to publish the first one as a standalone and then I thought it might work better if the dialog is flipped You decide Which version is...

Each week I write a micro-fiction story based on the current 50-word short story contest prompt (I run the contest, and just participate for fun) It's a great exercise in writing succinctly, and it challenges me every...

Home for Christmas Harriet brought a rum-spiked eggnog to Richard — a little something to cheer him on this quiet Christmas Eve A knock at the door surprised her They weren’t expecting anyone No one there...

Through child's eyes As Davey climbed into bed, he remembered his sister’s harsh laugh and derisive words “You’re such a baby There’s no Santa!” He went to the window, which emanated the frosty cold Was...

Image source: Pixabay Amy walked next to Ryan, heels clicking on cobblestones Tiny sleet missiles smacked her “Grab some coffee” "No" She had done it,  now Asked too much Needed things...

Hello friends! Here is my #fiftywords short story for this week's prompt, "snowflake" Something surprising happened as I was writing this story and finding images I'll share that after the story When Winter...

This is a 50-word short story for the prompt of "feast" Before the Wedding Feast Daisy polished a glass and placed it at the bride’s place on the head table The guests would come soon, then the bride and groom...

I wrote this microfiction story after attending a conference and visiting a death camp in Auschwitz This 50-word short story and accompanying backstory are, in part, my attempt to reckon with what I saw and...

This New House “What do you mean, Nora It’s perfect!” She walked across the glossy floor, thinking of her life before marrying Nathan Or had she married his money For a moment she was 10 again, racing...

  The Secret Notebook Perhaps Frieda had always known She stood in the attic, holding a notebook with her name printed in small type on its dusty cover With her mother and sister gone — recently...

We never know what will emerge in our lives as inspiration, do we For me, it might be a penny sitting alone on a sidewalk Or a melody, an overheard conversation, a well written-passage in a book, or a memory of my best...

The Clearing Wisps of smoke rise from the bubbling pot The witches chant “We invoke thee, young one Come to us!” Slowly, the maiden walks, trancelike, into the clearing They beckon “Closer!” The...

The Selection The lumpy, disfigured gourd grimaced in the pumpkin lot Sarah grimaced back “Sorry, you’re too ugly” Then she smiled, realizing it reminded her of old Uncle Desmond, with his one big eye,...

Leaving Against a silken, fog-feathered landscape, depleted by wind and Autumn decay, we flew It was time Winter threatened, biting our wings with an arctic chill We rose, fluttered, and turned south almost as...

Chastened Fire raged as Joscelin’s brothers battled the knights She hid Elric had run for safety with the baby Would she ever see them again Radomir fell Then Velimir fought alone Crawling toward the woods, she...

Rider on the Storm The probate decision came Mother’s beach house would go to Aunt Beatrice, Mother’s tormentor Dire visions came to mind — murderous ones — dear old Auntie tumbling off cliffs, poisoned,...

Selena in Sepia When Frankie left, the color drained away from the world, taking with it all meaning, and Selena lived in a chocolate brown existence, dark as an old sepia tint photo, until spring when sunlight...

Appellation Rainy sat at the water’s edge Why had they named her that The teasing hurt Lily and Star skipped down the grassy hill to join her “Why are you so blue, Rainy” She stood, stretched toward...

Ding dong ditch Jessie settled her newborn into the basket He was the size of a bread loaf The man who did this to her could return to claim paternity, ownership No Never In darkness, she set him on the steps of...

Mia's Memories We take the boat out from Cook’s Bay, as we always have But it’s just Mia in the bow No Ranger The wind whips the tears off my cheeks I look over at Mike “Does she know he was sick Will she...

Corn off the cob Angelina stared at the mountains beyond the cornfield and sighed “It’s so beautiful! How could this happen” Gabriel shook his head “No snow in two years The crops can’t hold up” The...

Lemon pie Nina loaded the last lemon pie into the oven Her friends were leaving for the lake “C'mon, let's go!” Bike bells jingled Her mother called out “Nina!” “Almost done!” “When I finish...

Unseen We hide in the yarrow, its lemon yellow a striking contrast to the ancient house Julia whispers “I think a witch lives there” The door creaks An old man emerges We stop breathing He looks directly...

Supercell Doug listened to the police radio, tracking the storm chasers The noise was deafening The storm was enormous, and fast Tim’s crew should get out of there Now On the radar, the storm shifted south He...

Living on: A 50-word short story In the shade of the arbor, the old man sipped a mint julep — perhaps his last Marcie, his youngest granddaughter, bounced to him through clover fields She smiled, hands behind her...

(Source: Pixabay image by jplenio) In stark contrast: A 50-word short story The sea fell placid during a break in the storm and an unnatural silence settled between them “A pregnant pause,” her father had...

The tear-down was going well McWhacken and Son had purchased the place for a song Old Riley McWhacken thought the claims of hauntings were ridiculous He looked forward to getting the tenement built and collecting rent...

(Image credit: werner22brigitte, Pixabay) The old painter lives and breathes brushstrokes and birds When he captures the tiny hunter, it is with russet, burnt umber, aquamarine and teal Despite diminishing...

Photo credit: Pixabay First just burns That got their attention They saw a pattern Then better explosives People losing fingers, hands Finally one death, then two He would make them stop building their futuristic...

Image credit: Pixabay Union soldiers surrounded the physician’s house Rodney, the lieutenant, knocked loudly “Open up! We know you may be harboring the run-away, John Wilkes Booth!” The door opened a...

(Image credit: Pixabay) The buccaneer stood at the table, gazing at the map by candlelight First mate Jamie Bogg snoozed in his bunk If Red Hook could gather up the map and provisions without raising the damned...

Photo credit: Unsplash Ansela took the rowboat across the lagoon at first light She gathered her provisions and Sicily and stepped ashore “Mew!” “Shh We must get to the sorceress’s cottage She will...

Image source: Pixabay The zoo was Reed’s idea Sheila said sure She liked lemurs In the Africa area, Reed pointed “Hey, that giraffe looks like you” “What” It was their second date The first was...

The little girl wandered into the dark fields, hearing the tinkling music Suddenly, a fair came to life The ferris wheel glimmered with lights, spinning slowly She saw rides, booths, prizes The smell of cotton candy...

Image credit: Pixabay She slumbered into mermaid dreams, rocking on the sea, cradled by the softest waves and the lullaby breeze Seagulls kept watch from above, and belugas below, while storms moved far off to sea...

Image credit: Picture by Skeeze on Pixabay Brussels sprouts heap next to round green bulbs of kohlrabi Fat purple and red carrots embarrass their common orange cousins Colorful peppers spill from hallocks--red and...

“Time to go, Harrison!” The sun lowered, orange-gold across the water, illuminating the rushes A breeze and a flapping of mallard wings shared the day’s last breath Harrison looked out, where Ben’s boat...

Photo credit: Pixabay To everyone’s surprise, they came by hot air balloon--quietly, one by one There were no spaceships There was no whirring or bleeping No little green men No abductions, and no...

(Image credit: Pixabay image by Alexas_Fotos) He scurries between pews, as silver window light washes over the feet of the Virgin Mary and illuminates stained glass Over Mrs Peevey’s lost cheaters, past...

Sierra walks the remote trail The forest is alive with sound--the crying of scrub jays, the steady, monotonous hum of june bugs, and the purring of wind She hears a crashing sound; a cute baby bear lopes onto the...

Nathan looks out at the falls How different they look from here, where air and light are close, protected and strange Moments ago he was up on the bridge with his mother and sister, watching the enormous volume of...

It was our tree We climbed to the highest branches to see distant lands We hid from bandits We soared over mountains with our twin engine’s propellers popping and spitting in the altitude Remember, Davey Old...

Elsie stepped quietly out the door into the night The nearest town was five miles She would keep to the ditches, shrubs and furrows, ready to find cover if he came after her The bruises would heal, but could she see...

Between me and the milky way there is space Between you and the milky way there is space You watch its clusters of heavenly stars, celestial beauty so profound it makes you cry Between you and me there is space --...

Crystal watched lightning crackle through cumulus clouds like the fire of fighting dragons A squadron of four pelicans sailed in line over the water’s surface as if headed for battle The sky rumbled and roiled...

The propeller stopped They were gliding, wings quietly slicing air currents “Is it safe” “Yes, babe I do this all the time” On the descent, trees and barns came into focus A bald eagle soared past...

Hannah and Ricky stepped over wing debris They had seen the plane falling, burning, that night several months back The area was no longer cordoned off by forensics The windows of the blackened fuselage glowed red...

Her mother, father and siblings had gone down through the hatch Mother reached up with one hand “Come on It’s okay Climb down the steps” Emily sat near the maw of the submarine She sniffed and shook her...

Snowflakes fell onto Joanna’s cheeks and eyelashes She laughed and chucked another snowball Lucille threw one back, but Joanna ducked “Race you!” She ran toward a snowbank They scrambled to the top, Lucille...

I can change No problemo! Imelda says I have to man up, get ahold of my drinking But damn, I’m at a work function, and the booze is flowing freely Tomorrow is soon enough, right Need to head home Imelda will...

Three customers arrived in a shiny Jeep Grand Cherokee They swaggered in, smelling of Old Spice and joking about the sexy blonde admin at Harris, Maddon and Schmitz “So, what kind of bait for...

I staggered through the dark woods, lost Owls called and animals scurried I feared bears Was I walking closer to the cabin or further away After two days without food, I could barely stand A light shone through...

I tried to crawl away into the underbrush, weak and nearly paralyzed by fear and hunger What was this light that had found me I heard breathing, rustling, and footsteps I tried to see what was coming, but was...