Flash Fiction Challenge: An Uncharted Apocalypse
Last week’s challenge — “The Lady And The Swordsman” — demands your eyeballs.
The Apocalypse.
The end of the world. The end of days. The end times.
Armageddeon Ragnarok 2012, blah blah blah.
We know how the Apocalypse comes, how it all ends. Meteors, tsunamis, earthquakes, plague. It’s been done a thousand times before. Nobody’s really bringing anything new to the apocalyptic table.
Oh, except you.
Here’s your task: I want to see flash fiction set in a very unconventional, never-before-seen apocalypse. A Create Your Own End Times kinda story. Get as creative as you want. I want the world to end — or be in the middle of ending — in a way we’ve never seen before.
In this story, we want the characters to say, “Whoa, we didn’t see that coming.”
Humor, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, tragedy, literary, whatever. Go nuts.
Once again: 1000 words and one week to fill them. Get your tales done by Friday, July 22nd at noon EST. Post them at your blog, then share the link here in the comments.
Tell us how the world ends, will you?
Oh — and this week, we’ve got prizes again. This time, I’m going to pick my five favorite and toss them a PDF copy of my as-yet-unreleased e-book, 250 Things You Should Know About Writing, which is a collection of ten (well, technically eleven, shut up) of my 25 Things lists from this site.
Now: unveil the end of days as only you can write it.
EDIT:
Okay. Jinkies. I finally got through all the stories.
And I’ve picked my five.
It was difficult. I had about ten I really liked, but had to really carve ‘em up.
Here, then, are the five –
Samantha J. Mathis
http://samanthajmathis.tumblr.com/post/7670809842/candy-coated-chaos
Brian Buckley
http://briandbuckley.com/2011/07/21/flash-fiction-scissors-with-running/
C.M. Stewart
http://cmstewartwrite.wordpress.com/2011/07/22/grey-goo-flash-fiction-plus-science-fact/
Albert Berg
http://unsanityfiles.wordpress.com/2011/07/21/salt-of-the-earth/
And Sean Riley!
http://jackslack.tumblr.com/post/7838270330/flash-fiction-challenge-shard-of-heaven
You guys, bounce me a message at terribleminds [at] gmail [dot] com or use the contact form here at the site and I’ll get you “250 Things You Should Know About Writing.”
Mike Williams
July 21, 2011 at 12:09 PM //
I’ve had this one sitting around a couple of years I think it fits your criteria. it was actually the first piece of fiction I tried. Hope it suits:
http://www.katabatikos.com/2009/07/scene-opens.html
Albert Berg
July 21, 2011 at 12:35 PM //
Salt of the Earth
http://unsanityfiles.wordpress.com/2011/07/21/salt-of-the-earth/
Mike
July 21, 2011 at 4:46 PM //
Let’s try this again
http://www.katabatikos.com/2011/07/post-apocalypse.html
Kathlyn H
July 21, 2011 at 7:58 PM //
Here’s mine for your reading pleasure.
http://janjepriestess.blogspot.com/2011/07/end-of-world-for-terriblemindscom.html
Gary M
July 21, 2011 at 10:51 PM //
Here’s a story about looking on the bright side.
http://www.unflinching.org/silver_linings.htm
Robyn
July 21, 2011 at 11:53 PM //
I used to write almost exclusively apocalypse stories, but after a while people kind of knew what to expect.
http://robynettely.blogspot.com/2011/07/flash-fiction-challenge-art-of-swimming.html
CMStewart
July 22, 2011 at 9:45 AM //
Adamstrumpets be damned! I bow to no trumptation!
http://cmstewartwrite.wordpress.com/2011/07/22/grey-goo-flash-fiction-plus-science-fact/
Story is PG.
And yes, it’s Grey Goo, but no, it’s not your typical Grey Goo.
HJR
July 22, 2011 at 11:12 AM //
Please enjoy:
http://www.anypocalypse.com/2011/07/flash-fiction-twinkle-twinkle.html
Joe Myers
July 22, 2011 at 11:54 AM //
http://hellfirewriters.wordpress.com/2011/07/22/grand-slam/
Here you go — enjoy!
terribleminds
July 22, 2011 at 2:53 PM //
Just a head’s up, peeps — I’ll be reading all the stragglers over the weekend and will make a pick by Monday.
You are all some talented mofos.
– c.
terribleminds
July 25, 2011 at 3:31 PM //
FYI: still working my way through this. 60+ entries is like reading a small novel in a couple days. Great stuff, will post here when I’ve got my surefire five.
– c.
anon
July 27, 2011 at 5:33 PM //
how’s the reading?
terribleminds
July 28, 2011 at 7:01 AM //
EDIT:
Okay. Jinkies. I finally got through all the stories.
And I’ve picked my five.
It was difficult. I had about ten I really liked, but had to really carve ‘em up.
Here, then, are the five –
Samantha J. Mathis
http://samanthajmathis.tumblr.com/post/7670809842/candy-coated-chaos
Brian Buckley
http://briandbuckley.com/2011/07/21/flash-fiction-scissors-with-running/
C.M. Stewart
http://cmstewartwrite.wordpress.com/2011/07/22/grey-goo-flash-fiction-plus-science-fact/
Albert Berg
http://unsanityfiles.wordpress.com/2011/07/21/salt-of-the-earth/
And Sean Riley!
http://jackslack.tumblr.com/post/7838270330/flash-fiction-challenge-shard-of-heaven
You guys, bounce me a message at terribleminds [at] gmail [dot] com or use the contact form here at the site and I’ll get you “250 Things You Should Know About Writing.”
Josh
July 28, 2011 at 9:35 AM //
Congrats to all the winners! There were a LOT of good stories in the running.
terribleminds
July 28, 2011 at 9:39 AM //
What Mister Loomis says is true. Including his own, which was certainly a contender.
– c.
Bob Bois
July 28, 2011 at 12:43 PM //
Congratulations everyone! There were some great stories in this week’s challenge. I’m still reading through them.
angie brooksby Arcangioli
July 29, 2011 at 3:49 AM //
Congrats, great choices, I liked Samantha’s best.
HJR
July 29, 2011 at 12:45 PM //
I liked Samantha’s as well.
Brian’s was also highly amusing. More people should reference the Ottaman Empire
Snellopy
January 6, 2012 at 12:33 AM //
Late (only 6 months or so!), but finally finished. I’m going through all my old unfinished stuff, and completing it. Imagozen http://snellopy.blogspot.com/2012/01/imagozen.html