Dear everybody who thought I had burned out and stopped writing flash fiction:
Never! Due to the Easter weekend, my family and I went away. I assumed we had internet at the place we were going. Ha! We all know what happens when you assume. So I have not been able to post in quite a few days. We got home late last night and I fell into bed exhausted. I was right back at the studio this AM (you know, the job that pays the bills until my writing career takes off) and came home at noon to a rejection letter. After having a lunch of Easter dinner leftovers, I fell back into my bed for a nap. I feel normal now. This post should make up for the last few days. I hope you all had a great Easter, or, Easter-ma-Christmas, as I started calling it this year due to the giant baskets my children were lucky enough to get from Mr. Bunny himself.
So, here they are:
S is for Starlight
Trent watched the bottle.
The old woman at the magic shop said this was the best healing potion money could buy. It just needed to be activated by starlight. He smiled as the clear liquid turned to bright gold. Little flecks danced around inside the bottle.
It was ready. Trent carefully picked up his guinea pig, Amaryllis. The tiny creature felt stiff in his hand, not at all like the little ball of warm fur it usually was. Her eyes were closed.
Trent poured the golden liquid down the creature’s throat. He watched the guinea pig.
Amaryllis opened her eyes.
Thomas waited patiently. The moment her key turned in the lock, he jumped up.
“Surprise!” He kissed her.
“Happy anniversary, baby,” she said. “I’m so sorry I had to work.”
“You’re home now. Let’s do gifts.”
Thomas led his girlfriend into the living room. An aquarium sat on the floor.
She gasped. “It’s a tortoise!”
“This tortoise will live as long as our love will last, which, according to the pet shop, will be about another hundred years. And that’s not all I have for you.” He dropped to one knee and pulled out a ring.
“Will you marry me?”
And today’s story is brought to you by the letter U:
“I have to discover the right one.”
“You wouldn’t do this.”
Arnold shrugged. “I am.”
Holly slammed the ship’s controls. “You would kill yourself to be married to me?”
“It’s just one version of myself. There are thousands of mes out there. I’ve got to find the one married to you, kill him and take his place.”
“We didn’t invent the Alternate Universe Traveling System for this!”
“The biggest mistake I made was not asking you to marry me. I’m going to fix that mistake by finding the reality where I did ask you.”
The door to the spaceship closed.
YAY! Your flash fiction is back!
ReplyDeleteI love the Starlight one. So sweet. The Tortoise one made me all "awwww!" The Universe story was creepy. O_O I want to ask him WHHHHY on earth would he kill himself to be married to her instead of trying to fix things with the her that's RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM.
I am now very intrigued by that.
What I wouldn't have given for a little of that potion for past pets.
ReplyDeleteWho is going to take care of that ancient turtle when they die? That was probably not quite where you wanted that taken.
And last, but not least, funny and creepy at the same time. Maybe she's with someone else in this reality? Maybe she simply doesn't like him that way? Or maybe he just does everything the hard way. LOL!
Hehehe the Universe flash sounds like an interesting premise for a book. :-D
ReplyDeleteAm SO upset I did not discover you before!
ReplyDeleteAm doing flash pieces for the challenge as well, and it would have been less lonely to know someone else was doing it too!
I especially like the Universe piece...your stories have excellent hooks, and that is the hallmark of good flash fiction!
Love your work.
I love the Tortoise story :) so cute.
ReplyDeleteand glad to hear that you are relaxed and back :)
-B-