Flash Fiction Challenge: An Uncharted Apocalypse

July 15, 2011

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.”

81 Comments

< 1 2

Darren G Miller
July 20, 2011 @ 12:12 PM

My entry will be going live on Geekcentricity at about 4pm today (Wednesday, July 20th). Here is the link:

http://geekcentricity.com/2011/07/world-of-earth.html

Reply
BA Boucher
July 20, 2011 @ 12:58 PM

And here I go again:

http://defconwhiskey.wordpress.com/2011/07/20/desolation-with-strange-camels/

Reply
Geekcentricity: Life from a Geekcentric perspective
July 20, 2011 @ 4:01 PM

[…] Fiction: World of Earth The following is a piece of flash fiction I wrote for this week’s Flash Fiction Challenge over at Chuck Wendig’s Terrible Minds. The challenge is to create a new take on the apocalypse in 1,000 words or less. […]

Reply
Bob Bois
July 20, 2011 @ 9:14 PM

Oh hell, just because…
http://sittingindarkness.wordpress.com/2011/04/12/dummies-nuclear-test-site-nevada-1953/

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Amy Tupper
July 20, 2011 @ 9:32 PM

If Wishes Were Butterflies

http://amytupper.net/2011/07/20/if-wishes-were-butterflies

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Joel Matulich
July 21, 2011 @ 12:05 AM

There are quite a few great stories here. Here is mine.
Please enjoy. I thank you for the opportunity.

http://yoursuppository.wordpress.com/2011/07/21/becoming-the-void/

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Veronica The Pajama Thief
July 21, 2011 @ 12:12 AM

[…] on July 21, 2011 by VeronicaThePajamaThief Апокалипсис Chuck Wendig, over at http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2011/07/15/flash-fiction-challenge-an-uncharted-apocalypse/ has another flash challenge up and running. Prompt: Flash fiction set in a very unconventional, […]

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Veronica Marie Lewis-Shaw
July 21, 2011 @ 12:32 AM

Be gentle… I’m a virgin….

(At writing sci-fi, that is… *wink*)

Here is my attempt at ending the world… don’t know how well this will play in Peoria, but all my friends liked it! ;=)

http://veronicathepajamathief.wordpress.com/2011/07/21/339/

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Brian Buckley
July 21, 2011 @ 6:35 AM

IT IS DONE.

http://briandbuckley.com/2011/07/21/flash-fiction-scissors-with-running/

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Mike Williams
July 21, 2011 @ 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

Reply
Salt of the Earth | Albert Berg's Unsanity Files
July 21, 2011 @ 12:34 PM

[…] this week's flash fiction challenge from Chuck Wendig was to come up with a new spin on the apocalypse, something that's never been […]

Reply
Albert Berg
July 21, 2011 @ 12:35 PM

Salt of the Earth

http://unsanityfiles.wordpress.com/2011/07/21/salt-of-the-earth/

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Mike
July 21, 2011 @ 4:46 PM

Let’s try this again
http://www.katabatikos.com/2011/07/post-apocalypse.html

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Kathlyn H
July 21, 2011 @ 7:58 PM

Here’s mine for your reading pleasure.

http://janjepriestess.blogspot.com/2011/07/end-of-world-for-terriblemindscom.html

Reply
Gary M
July 21, 2011 @ 10:51 PM

Here’s a story about looking on the bright side.

http://www.unflinching.org/silver_linings.htm

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Robyn
July 21, 2011 @ 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

Reply
Flash Fiction Challenge: That’s Right, I Said “Unicorn”
July 22, 2011 @ 12:02 AM

[…] week’s challenge — “An Uncharted Apocalypse” — had some amazing stories, so you should go check ‘em out. I’m going to […]

Reply
Grey Goo- Flash Fiction plus Science Fact « CMStewartWrite
July 22, 2011 @ 9:35 AM

[…] to Chuck Wendig for this flash fiction challenge! What the heck is a nanobot?! Do you think trying to reach outer space aliens […]

Reply
CMStewart
July 22, 2011 @ 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.

Reply
HJR
July 22, 2011 @ 11:12 AM

Please enjoy:

http://www.anypocalypse.com/2011/07/flash-fiction-twinkle-twinkle.html

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Joe Myers
July 22, 2011 @ 11:54 AM

http://hellfirewriters.wordpress.com/2011/07/22/grand-slam/

Here you go — enjoy!

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terribleminds
July 22, 2011 @ 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.

Reply
terribleminds
July 25, 2011 @ 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.

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anon
July 27, 2011 @ 5:33 PM

how’s the reading?

Reply
terribleminds
July 28, 2011 @ 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.”

Reply
Josh
July 28, 2011 @ 9:35 AM

Congrats to all the winners! There were a LOT of good stories in the running.

Reply
- terribleminds
  July 28, 2011 @ 9:39 AM
  
  What Mister Loomis says is true. Including his own, which was certainly a contender.
  
  — c.
  
  Reply
Bob Bois
July 28, 2011 @ 12:43 PM

Congratulations everyone! There were some great stories in this week’s challenge. I’m still reading through them.

Reply
angie brooksby Arcangioli
July 29, 2011 @ 3:49 AM

Congrats, great choices, I liked Samantha’s best.

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HJR
July 29, 2011 @ 12:45 PM

I liked Samantha’s as well.

Brian’s was also highly amusing. More people should reference the Ottaman Empire

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Snellopy
January 6, 2012 @ 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

Reply