This week’s challenge is not one of subject, theme, or other detail — the challenge is simply one of length. Because normally? You get 1000 words. Today? You get only 100. (I think this is technically called a “drabble.” You can call it “Bobo” for all I like.)
So:
Go to your online space.
Post 100 words (no more!) of fiction.
Link back here so we can all see it.
Due by next Friday, 3/27.
That’s it.
I double dog dare you to do it.
(edit: I also double dog my friend, Erin Lynn Jeffreys Hodges, to try it, too.)
realdavidlove says:
First time actually participating, I’m not sure but I hope this works. http://wp.me/p5WH9n-c
100 Words of Betrayal.
March 25, 2015 — 10:39 PM
realdavidlove says:
http://wp.me/p5WH9n-c Here’s mine.
March 25, 2015 — 10:41 PM
Catastrophe Jones says:
Niiiiice. Was a punch in the gut, in the end.
March 26, 2015 — 9:09 AM
allthenumbers says:
Here’s mine:
RINGS
The boy pulled his finger through the fine dust.
‘So many rings. Like Mum’s fingers.’
‘Every ring represents a year,’ the man smiled.
‘I always got seasick. I hated it.’
‘The rings are part of the tree’s history. This mast is part of yours.’
‘I don’t wanna be part of that history.’ He blew away the sawdust. ‘So the middle, is where the tree began?’
‘Yes.’
The boy lay head to head with the trunk’s dark centre and squeezed his eyelids shut. His history was only had two rings; before and after. ‘Send me back,’ he whispered.
March 26, 2015 — 12:23 AM
allthenumbers says:
Whoops posted wrong version!!! Should be this:
RINGS
The boy pulled his finger through the fine dust.
‘So many rings. Like Mum’s fingers.’
‘Every ring represents a year,’ the man smiled.
‘I always got seasick. I hated it.’
‘The rings are part of the tree’s history. This mast is part of yours.’
‘I don’t wanna be part of that history.’ He blew away the sawdust. ‘So the middle is where the tree began?’
‘Yes.’
The boy lay head to head with the trunk’s dark centre and squeezed his eyelids shut. His history only had two rings; before and after. ‘Send me back,’ he whispered.
March 26, 2015 — 12:26 AM
Catastrophe Jones says:
“His history only had two rings; before and after.” — Nicely done.
March 26, 2015 — 8:54 AM
dhippensteel says:
HI, first time caller here.
http://wp.me/p41CL6-v8
March 26, 2015 — 9:54 AM
addy says:
first time? you’ll do well here.
very good, loved the twist, especially since its only 100 words
March 31, 2015 — 10:34 AM
Quill Shiv says:
The Ginger Butcher http://quillshiv.com/2015/03/26/the-ginger-butcher/
Thanks to Chuck for bringing me out of quasi-retirement.
March 26, 2015 — 10:25 AM
Laura Bowers says:
I had to jump in after putting these challenges off for … oh, a very long time. It was the double dog dare that got to me. Can’t turn down a double dog dare.
http://laurabowers.net/write/writingwithoutreins-wednesday
March 26, 2015 — 10:27 AM
Michelle R. Lane says:
My 100 words are part of a longer blog post about finding inspiration t keep writing. All the way at the bottom of the post you’ll find my 100 words: https://michellerlane.wordpress.com/2015/03/26/fake-it-until-you-make-it/.
March 26, 2015 — 10:38 AM
Flo la Mouette says:
I tried to be brave. I tried to be strong.
I knew it would hurt but, still, I gathered myself to face this ordeal.
It wasn’t the first time and, sadly, I’m sure it won’t be the last.
Some told me, laughing: “Get rid of this one, you’ll find more! Tenfold !”
Some other, gently said that it was a pain quickly passed and forgotten.
And the more I prepared myself, the more I braced against it, teeth clenched, ignoring my wailing heart, the more I cried in the end.
Bloody butt hair…
March 26, 2015 — 11:20 AM
Raya Gavril (@Rocket_Raya) says:
Giving this challenge thing a try. Yeah, it’s that double dog dare. Can’t let that go without taking a swipe at it: https://creatrix-chaotrix.squarespace.com/blog/one-last-detail
March 26, 2015 — 7:27 PM
Trey Taylor says:
https://moonlightronin.wordpress.com/2015/03/27/flash-fiction-100-words-the-kyu-court/
March 26, 2015 — 10:03 PM
luraj2612 says:
99 words! Not all that happy with it, but it only took five minutes to write. I forgot about the challenge until about twenty minutes ago. Anyway, here’s the link: https://lurawilcox.wordpress.com/2015/03/27/flash-fiction-naming-the-band/ (Will go live at 1 am EDT, so in about ten minutes.)
March 27, 2015 — 12:52 AM
Rebecca Douglass says:
Nearly forgot to come link back.
http://www.ninjalibrarian.com/2015/03/friday-fiction-100-words-about-gorg.html
March 27, 2015 — 1:13 AM
Afrokot says:
https://nightshadeblues.wordpress.com/2015/03/27/drabble/
My first challenge. =)
March 27, 2015 — 2:57 AM
Rebecca Douglass says:
LOL! Don’t stop!
March 27, 2015 — 8:38 PM
Afrokot says:
Thanks, I’ll try. =)
March 27, 2015 — 8:50 PM
ShadowCub says:
Alas, I am just a “tad” late to the party, it already being Friday, March 27. Not to mention, I don’t really have much in the way of an “online space” to write yet.
I wait with baited breath for the next challenge.
March 27, 2015 — 3:19 AM
The Penultimate Universe says:
Wow, sticking to 100 words was hard! Here’s my entry. Not sure what’s going on with the formatting but it is still readable, think WordPress is just having a tantrum. Hope you enjoy it!
https://penultimateuniverse.wordpress.com/2015/03/27/i-simply-walked/
March 27, 2015 — 5:09 AM
Jemima Pett says:
I’m thinking Centenaries here. Interesting that I wrote nearly 200 words to start with. It was hard cutting it back to start with, but I think the result is much better. Enjoy!
http://jemimapett.com/blog/2015/03/27/friday-flash-fiction-centenary/
March 27, 2015 — 5:36 AM
cwdykes says:
Here’s my shot!
http://www.loudlyintroverted.com/my-assistant/
March 27, 2015 — 9:01 AM
crow365 says:
I ended up with 161 words (sue me), but here’s my shot: http://nickegelhoff.com/2015/03/27/flash-fiction-challenge-100-words-only/
March 27, 2015 — 10:09 AM
momdude says:
Posted this last night, forgot to put the link here — http://pauljwillett.com/2015/03/26/flash-fiction-trash-night/
March 27, 2015 — 11:08 AM
sayitsultry says:
Amazing how weird a neighborhood can seem in the broad daylight, much less in the pre-coffee fog of morning or the darkness of evening. But I think every neighborhood has people who enhance the effect. The trick is just to BE that person, and then you don’t have to worry about it anymore.
March 27, 2015 — 2:30 PM
Kristin Mireles says:
Max. The saddest 100 words I’ve ever written. http://mireles-musings.blogspot.com/2015/03/100-words-only.html
March 27, 2015 — 11:15 AM
sayitsultry says:
Takes me back to similar scenarios from childhood. I wonder if we just get fucked up by these things, or if they (blah blah) deepen our character and give us a better grasp on mortality. Can it be both?
March 27, 2015 — 2:28 PM
poorerdick says:
99 words:
https://poordicks.wordpress.com/2015/03/27/flash-fiction-challenge-99-words/
March 27, 2015 — 11:56 AM
sayitsultry says:
Nice. I have one of those creatures at home and sport the scars to prove it.
March 27, 2015 — 2:27 PM
Alice E says:
I know that cat. Very amusing. Perhaps, 100 word stories should be called amuse tete?
March 27, 2015 — 3:08 PM
poorerdick says:
Ah! A well known cat as it is all cats. I’m glad it was amusing!
As for your comment about brain treats, I prefer German to French. That said, the variations I could think of in German were all filled with greater existential emptiness.
March 27, 2015 — 4:46 PM
Mary Wright says:
100 words exactly. https://thattypingsound.wordpress.com/2015/03/27/win-her-over-100-word-story/
March 27, 2015 — 12:42 PM
sayitsultry says:
Possibly a bit late, but why not post anyway?
Here’s to cooked frogs:
https://sayitsultry.wordpress.com/2015/03/27/emotionless-girl/
March 27, 2015 — 2:26 PM
Alice E Keyes says:
Quite a quandary, I would think about deminishing returns if the legs might be the tastiest.
March 27, 2015 — 3:15 PM
sayitsultry says:
Possibly true, although brains, brains, brains! I’ve heard brains are delicious in omelets. Although admittedly that was calves’ brains.
March 30, 2015 — 5:03 PM
deb says:
holy crap. it’s Friday already. let’s do this right this time.
http://cookingthehook.blogspot.com/2015/03/100-words.html
March 27, 2015 — 2:48 PM
Alice E Keyes says:
It made me chuckle
March 27, 2015 — 3:11 PM
addy says:
I know i’m late but i heard 100 words only and one of my favorite WIP characters creapt into my head. Hope you like it:-
It may seem like a strange request and it still gives me goose bumps when they ask. But to me it is ever so exciting.
I have been waiting for this for years, the opportunity to practice my true craft. Sure I have other professions; surgeon, artist, undertaker, but this is where I excel.
And sometimes I do it for free, other times payment is required. It all depends on who’s asking.
So when a young woman asks me to make a deal how can I resist asking.
“Why do you want to live forever?”
March 31, 2015 — 10:11 AM