Tag Archive for: fiction

Five Sentence Fiction – Perseverance

My name is Violet Blair, and this is my story: a man from some secret agency just tried to kill me by throwing me off a building, but I landed perfectly on my feet.

He fed me some crock story about his brother’s death being my fault, but I don’t buy it.

They’re after me because I can create fire with my mind; in fact, I nearly burned down my school.

People don’t like what they can’t control—that is why they will never stop hunting me, and why I must fight back and endure.

My name is Violet Blair, I am a pyro, and I am coming for you.

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Check out the Five Sentence Fiction weekly challenge created by Lillie McFerrin.

This is part of a series that you can read here.

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Menage Monday # 40

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I wake up, lying on my stomach. The first thing I see are trees probably fifty stories below me. My stomach drops as I instinctively jump back to a safe distance.

“So nice of you to join me,” a scruffy voice says behind me. I flip around to see a man, late thirties, leaning against a metal post.

“Where are we?”

“Power plant.”

“Who are you?”

“The who is not important. It’s the why.”

“Okay…why—”

“Why did I bring you here? Well, Violet, I’m thrilled you asked. I saw your little pyrotechnic display at your school.”

“How long have I been up here?”

“Ten days. Once your hands started glowing I thought you were going to pass out. Then fire started shooting out of them. It wasn’t until after the explosion that you lost consciousness. I can’t believe you survived. But you know who didn’t? My brother, you filthy mutant.”

He backs me up to the ledge. “Survive this,” he says as he throws me over.

I scream, fully expecting to splat against the ground. But somehow I land gently on my feet.

Wow! I wonder what other neat tricks I can do…

~

This was written for the Menage Monday challenge at caramichaels.com

Rules:

100-200 word story based on 3 prompts:

The Photo

The Phrase: “survive this” must appear somewhere in the story

The Judge’s Prompt: scenario: you woke up…ten days later. What do you do? What do you remember? Where are you? How do you piece everything together?

Five Sentence Fiction – Scarlet

Carlo crept into the dark bedroom of his New York apartment, lit only by the glow of the moon coming through the open window.

Someone was there—he could feel their presence, thick and palpable.

He saw her scarlet lips first, then the rest of her silhouette stepped into the moonlight.

“I love you, Carlo,” Jules said, “sleep now…”

Carlo awoke the next morning alone, accompanied solely by his unrelenting question: Was it a dream, or could she really be alive?

~

Check out the Five Sentence Fiction weekly challenge created by Lillie McFerrin.

This is part of a series, you can read the rest of Carlo’s story here.

Friday Night Write – I Ain’t Superstitious

Carlo refused to cry. The love of his life was dead and he would not mourn until her killer was brought to justice. He clenched his fists and rose from his knelt position over Jules’ grave.

“Carlo Capelletti, may I have a moment of your time?” A stranger said.

“I’m sorry, do I know you?”

“No, but I have a proposition for you.” The man was in his late forties; aviator sunglasses hid his eyes.

“I don’t have time for this.” Carlo swore in Italian, his native language, as he did often. Who did this guy this guy think he was talking to? Obviously Carlo’s bulky, muscular appearance, slick black hair, and sharp jaw line didn’t intimidate him as it did every other sane human being.

“I think you’ll want to hear what I have to say. It’s about Julia.”

“She’s dead, or could you not tell by the grave?” Carlo pointed to the fresh mound of dirt.

The man nodded once as if Carlo’s words were not news.

“If you’re interested in what I have to say, come to this address tomorrow night.”

The man handed Carlo a scrap of paper with messy handwriting then started to walk away.

“I don’t even know your name.”

“You may call me G.”

He had no intentions of going. G—what kind of name was that anyway?

Carlo was not a man given to curiosity, but something about the whole situation wouldn’t let him walk away. He had to know if the guy was legit or just full of it. He had to know what he knew.

So Carlo went to the address, but not without certain precautions: a pistol on his hip, a knife in his boot, and a sniper rifle hidden in his black Buick.

Rottweilers barked viciously as he approached the enormous house. G seemed like the type who took crap from no one. The house was surrounded by security cameras, fences, and guards who escorted him across the premises. What did the man do that required all this?

A knotted firmly planted itself in Carlo’s stomach. He also wasn’t a man given to superstitions. But something didn’t sit well with him, and somehow he knew that things would end badly for him. But still, he had to know.

Once inside, Carlo was instructed to wait in the “living room” which was twice the size of any normal one.

A moment later, G emerged and sat down.

“I’ll get right to the point Mr. Cappelletti. I would like you to come work for me. I’m in need of a certain set of… skills.”

“You’re offering me a job?”

“Do you even know who was actually behind Julia’s murder? The man at the top?”

The question caught Carlo off guard. Something that didn’t happen often. There was no need to answer; G knew he had no idea.

“The fact is, I do know who is responsible, and I can put you in a prime position to take him out.”

~

This is my entry into the Friday Night Write weekly challenge at Sweet Banana Ink.

The Challenge:

  • 1 Song (this week’s song was I Ain’t Superstitious by Jeff Beck)
  • 48 Hours (Friday @ 5pm to Sunday @ 5pm pacific)
  • 500 Words

I wrote about this character last week, but this story line was beckoning me to write more. You can read the rest of Carlo’s story here.

Five Sentence Fiction – Pirates

“Kara, tell me where Randy is,” the hoarse voice said in my ear as his arm tightened around my neck. “I need the two of you little science geeks to find a time portal for me—I’m looking for a particular group of pirates who can lead me to mermaids. You may think they don’t exist, but the truth is mermaids went extinct many years ago and I plan to capture one and bring her back.”

“The portals don’t work like that, I can’t choose the destination,” I said as Randy barged in the room and the man tightened his grip on my neck.

To Randy, he said, “You will take me and my partner Eric back in time to find the mermaids, or your girlfriend dies—am I understood?”

 ~

Check out the Five Sentence Fiction weekly challenge created by Lillie McFerrin.

This piece is a crossover sequel from two other flash fiction stories I wrote: Sweet Home Alabama and Reason.

Friday Night Write – Over My Head

Carlo pulled back on the bolt and heard the bullet click into place. His sniper rifle rested perfectly against his shoulder. A natural extension of his body. Peering through the scope, his target moved right into the crosshairs. It was easy. Well, should have been easy.

Six months ago, Carlo was on a routine assassination. But on the flight home, he was seated next to the most enchanting woman he had ever met. Julia–Jules– as he would soon call her. Despite the little voice in Carlo’s head, telling him his lifestyle was not conducive to romantic relationships, he couldn’t stay away. Jules had a way of bringing out the good in him; good he never knew he was capable of.

After two months he told her what he did for a living. And to his surprise, she did not run away. In the sixth month Carlo was ready to quit and leave with her.

However, even men like him had to answer to someone, and he was not as enthusiastic.

“Is there anything I can do to change your mind?” Carlo asked.

“There is one last target. If you complete this hit, you’re free to go.”

The next day, the all-too-familiar chime on his phone signaled an incoming target. Carlo had been sent the name and picture of the person he was demanded to kill. Carlo’s hands shook for the first time since he took up this occupation. The picture was of his precious Jules. The phone rang shrilly and he answered it with a hoarse voice.

“Hello, Carlo. I trust you received your next target. Don’t get any crazy ideas about running away together. There is nowhere on this earth out of my reach. Her death in that instance would be much more painful than a bullet from your rifle. Am I understood?”

“Yes,” Carlo said.

“You have twenty four hours.”

That brought him here, to this rooftop with his Jules in the crosshairs of his gun.

The bluetooth set in his ear beeped. He pressed the button and the same dreaded voice filled his head.

“Don’t get cold feet, now. I am watching, and if you back out, I’ll finish her… and you.”

Helicopter blades thundered, and a moment later a chopper rose from behind him with a gunman sitting inside the open door.

“You have ten seconds.”

Ten seconds. That was all she had left.

Nine. Could he really kill her?

Eight seconds left. He was in way over his head.

Seven. Maybe he could get to her in time.

There was a storm drain running down the side of the building that he could slide down.

Six.

Five.

Four.

Three. He was on the ground and running to her.

Two. “Jules, run!”

She saw him, but a moment too late.

The shot came from above his head, and she dropped to the ground before his eyes.

He had lost her.

Everyone involved in her death would pay.

Carlo now had a new target.

~
This was my entry into the Friday Night Write challenge at SweetBananaInk.com
The song prompt was Over My Head by The Fray

Five Sentence Fiction – Harvest

Eliza walked along the path in the enchanted garden under the glistening rays of the sun.

The flowers were in their prime, ready to be harvested of their magical dust.

Faeries were supposed to be happy… and who wouldn’t be in a gorgeous place such as this?

But Rowland hardly noticed her anymore, leaving her abandoned in an unfamiliar world.

He had harvested her heart from humanity’s field, and let it shrivel up, alone.

~

Check out the Five Sentence Fiction weekly challenge created by Lillie McFerrin.

This story can stand alone, but it is part of a short story series I’m writing called, The Transformation. You can read the rest of the series here.

Five Sentence Fiction – Faeries

Eliza’s eyes were wide with wonder as she gazed around Rowland’s home for the first time—now her home too.

Everything was new: she now had glittering skin, wings she would have to learn to use, and a whole slew of faeries watching her every move.

She liked this world, and she did not regret her decision by any means, but she was the new girl… so she stuck to Rowland’s side like glue.

Eliza had left her human life behind for the sake of the one she loved.

And that love had the power to transform… literally.

~

Check out the Five Sentence Fiction weekly challenge created by Lillie McFerrin.

This story line can stand alone, but it is also a continuation of the flash fiction piece I wrote called The Transformation.

Friday Night Write – Sweet Home Alabama

“Run! We need to leave, now!” Kara said as she and Randy hurried down the street. Her legs burned, but she couldn’t give up, or they’d never make it home.

“Wait!” Randy said, stopping short. “I thought I heard someone yell my name.”

What was he thinking? They didn’t have a second to waste. The portal was closing, and if they didn’t get to it in—Kara looked at her watch—three minutes, they would be stuck ten years in the future forever.

“Where’s Brent?”

Kara did a quick scan of the area. When had they lost him? Typical. Randy’s little brother was always causing trouble.

“I can’t stay,” Kara said, looking at her watch again.

“And I can’t go.”

She paused and sighed. “Know that I always loved you.”

Kara didn’t wait for his response. She continued running until she made it to the portal. There it was, the faint, iridescent swirl. To the untrained eye, it would simply look like a heat wave. Closing her eyes, she leaped, arms first, into the blurry vortex.

Looking back, she never should have talked Randy into working with her. But they were young, over-achieving scientists, looking for unexplored avenues of their craft. A time travel experiment seemed like a good idea at the time.

They left their small town in Alabama to pursue their dreams. They progressed faster than they thought, and within a year, they had successfully predicted the location of the next portal. But Brent jumped through after them.

Their intention was to just observe and return to the present that same evening. But the problem with going only ten years into the future is the threat of running into your future selves. They had no idea if there would be any ramifications, but they didn’t want to take the risk.

Leave it to Brent to purposefully seek themselves out. Randy and Kara spent the entire day chasing after him.

Every day for the last ten years, Kara regretted her decision to leave Randy behind. For years she tried to get back to him. But she soon discovered the portal was always moving. It would never take you to the same time twice.

She should have stayed. It was a mistake she would never make again.

Kara looked at her watch. It was time. She walked out of her house, into the still, dark night, and waited to hear the words she had replayed over and over in her head.

“Run! We need to leave, now!” Kara heard her voice say. A moment later, she saw Randy, just as she always remembered him, and her much younger self run down the street.

“Randy!” Kara yelled.

He stopped. It had worked. Tears spilled over as she watched herself leave. Then she ran to catch up with him.

“I’m so sorry. I never should have left you,” she said, falling into Randy’s arms.

She knew she had a lot of explaining to do, but it didn’t matter. She was home.

~

This was my story for Friday Night Write at Sweet Banana Ink. Each Friday there is a song prompt for a 500 word story. Be sure to check out the next one this Friday!

Five Sentence Fiction – Medicine

I wasn’t always like this—the stone cold assassin I am today.

I used to smile, used to love, used to live.

She was the one who kept me on track; the one who saw the good in me when no one else could.

But they asked for it when they took her from me.

Because when you cut off the medicine, the deadly force comes back with a vengeance.

~

Check out the Five Sentence Fiction weekly challenge by Lillie McFerrin