Today, I’m going to give you a pair of themes.
You will choose one, and write a story using that theme.
1. Doing a good thing sometimes means being evil.
2. The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.
Two themes in opposition to each other.
Choose one, write.
Length: ~1000 words
Due by: 3/10, Friday, noon EST
Post at your online space. Give us a link. The usual.
Leah McClellan says:
Oh. Well. Huh. I just wrote an entire novella on #1. Inspired by what Madonna said about blowing up the White House. You know. A good thing. Except it’s really evil and is, of course, just a thought albeit an intriguing one. Maybe I submit that? (KIDDING!)
March 3, 2017 — 12:55 PM
john5cole says:
Mine is called the theater. Option #1. Let me know your thoughts.
http://thecolemind.com/flash-fiction-friday-the-theater/
March 3, 2017 — 1:37 PM
dcxli says:
You chose a similar scenario to mine, but with a different ending. Great work!
March 8, 2017 — 4:45 AM
john5cole says:
Thanks.
March 8, 2017 — 11:37 AM
curioushart says:
Very interesting. I will have to think about the character’s stage of faith.
March 8, 2017 — 10:40 AM
john5cole says:
Glad it made you think…
March 8, 2017 — 11:37 AM
The Urban Spaceman says:
I hope this story I wrote, named “Accidental Intelligence,” is an enjoyable one for people to read:
https://theurbanspaceman.net/2017/03/04/accidental-intelligence-flash-fiction/
March 3, 2017 — 7:17 PM
Mozette says:
Woah! …. what can I say? I’m gonna have nightmares about my back garden attacking me tonight.
March 6, 2017 — 8:41 AM
The Urban Spaceman says:
You will never look at soil the same way again. 😉
I’m away until Sunday, now, but totes planning to catch up on everyone’s stories when I return from my trip to Mars!
March 6, 2017 — 4:16 PM
Mozette says:
Hehehee…. just make sure you bump off that there soil before you jump back onto your shuttle back to Earth, okay? 😉
March 6, 2017 — 11:47 PM
Sam Brady says:
Nice! I find myself wondering if it was truly evil, or just someone getting caught up in a bad situation? I suppose that’s what this whole exrcise is for.
March 6, 2017 — 3:00 PM
The Urban Spaceman says:
Thankee, Sam! The super secret is, I included aspects of both themes (I see Dr. Chen as being #1, and the narrator as #2). But good and evil are very subjective, so you can take from the story what you will. 🙂
March 6, 2017 — 4:20 PM
curioushart says:
I like the double meaning of A.I. i think you addressed the prompt very well. Your story reminded me of something Freeman Dyson wrote about being small. Excellent.
March 8, 2017 — 10:45 AM
Mark Gardner says:
I picked up a story that had been on hiatus for about 16 months: http://wp.me/p4le2s-1Ot
March 3, 2017 — 8:29 PM
dcxli says:
Theme1: My Palms Are Sweaty
https://dcxli.wordpress.com/2017/03/03/my-palms-are-sweaty/
As always, critique welcome!
March 4, 2017 — 12:12 AM
Mozette says:
http://youcantgoback-andotherimpossibilities.blogspot.com.au/2017/03/the-deal.html
I think I did the first one…. I think…. it could be the second one… you guys pick it and see where it takes you.
March 4, 2017 — 12:46 AM
george hirvela says:
Did you include the oral sex she promised voters? lol
March 4, 2017 — 11:26 AM
boundforground says:
Wut?
March 4, 2017 — 3:59 PM
The Urban Spaceman says:
I think it’s a misplaced reply to comment #1. At least, that’s what I *hope*…
March 6, 2017 — 4:17 PM
David says:
I hope a google.doc link works as well, because I don’t have a blog.
Here’s my entry.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Rbcm-4smJob8K9OyBLCD84bZyhECS5NcOuU6UcT3I4Y/edit?usp=sharing
March 5, 2017 — 4:15 PM
The Urban Spaceman says:
Yep, link works fine. Always good to see a test of faith, whether that’s faith in (a) God, or oneself, or an ideal… it’s the best kind of conflict, IMO, and you captured that really well here.
March 6, 2017 — 4:26 PM
Adam says:
How can it be wrong to “Honor Thy Mother”?
http://adamhugheswriter.com/honor-thy-mother/
March 5, 2017 — 6:07 PM
grahamwrites says:
The narrative device is disarming, but you know shit’s not going to end well. Adam you’re a sick puppy. Dark little read.
March 6, 2017 — 9:21 AM
Adam says:
How better to shock than to first disarm? Thanks for reading!
March 6, 2017 — 7:17 PM
Darlene Steelman says:
Sick. I love it.
March 6, 2017 — 10:30 AM
Adam says:
Thanks, Darlene.
March 6, 2017 — 7:17 PM
grahamwrites says:
Chose the first theme. You mentioned evil, Chuck. And that was that. Now, not sure it can still be classified as evil if it’s simply justice being served, but… http://grahamwho.com/grahamwrites/2017/03/05/flash-fiction-the-office-cleaner/
March 5, 2017 — 6:59 PM
Adam says:
Hope their joint demise is slow enough to get them home for the evening so your protagonist doesn’t have MORE cleaning up to do! Just enough mystery around her past to leave us wondering. Nice!
March 6, 2017 — 7:16 PM
Sam Brady says:
I chose the first theme and wrote exactly 1,000 words. I tried to go back to my fantasy roots in this story. It ended up more in the Guy Gavriel Kay flavor of fantasy than anything else. Please to enjoy “The Letter”.
https://sambrady.wordpress.com/2017/03/06/chuck-wendig-the-letter/
March 6, 2017 — 2:15 PM
The Writer says:
Great Themes!
March 6, 2017 — 2:57 PM
D. A. M. Steelman says:
Here’s mine: https://damswriter.com/2017/03/07/flash-fiction-doing-a-good-thing-sometimes-means-being-evil/
This was a lot of fun.
March 6, 2017 — 7:16 PM
kim blades, writer says:
I chose option 1. https://wordpress.com/post/kim153.wordpress.com/2785
March 7, 2017 — 9:47 AM
michelledevilliersart says:
Heh:Here is my effort; nailed the 1000 words, at least: https://cadmiumdiamond.wordpress.com/2017/03/07/the-road-to-hell-is-paved-with-good-intentions/
March 7, 2017 — 10:35 AM
Lisa says:
So She Lives Free. http://thoughtitwasgood.blogspot.com/
March 7, 2017 — 2:29 PM
David Ralph Lewis says:
Here’s mine. Almost exactly 1000 words. I chose the second one and it went a bit dark: http://davidralphlewis.co.uk/my-writing/good-boy/
March 8, 2017 — 5:28 AM
egoebelbecker says:
Here’s mine. Let me know what you think. http://ericgoebelbecker.com/2017/03/war-worlds-flash-fiction/
March 8, 2017 — 10:06 AM
dcxli says:
I enjoyed it. I haven’t read Wells’ original work but this makes me curious about it.
March 9, 2017 — 2:21 AM
egoebelbecker says:
Thanks!
The original is a good read. Pretty quick, and free on Kindle. I imagine Project Guttenberg would have it too.
March 9, 2017 — 5:50 AM
curioushart says:
Here is my 1000-word story inspired by Isaac Asimov, our dog Nelly, and a memorable trip to Downey Mall. https://curioushart.wordpress.com/2017/03/08/the-road-to-helicon/
March 8, 2017 — 10:37 AM
vieuxbandit says:
Mine, after the intro in French. 🙂 http://www.campagnonades.com/fiction-optimisation/
March 8, 2017 — 12:24 PM
Lisa says:
I liked it…wanted more, actually. Nicely done.
March 8, 2017 — 4:59 PM
D. A. M. Steelman says:
Interesting!
March 9, 2017 — 8:20 PM
kim blades, writer says:
https://kim153.wordpress.com/2017/03/07/the-only-way/
March 9, 2017 — 5:27 AM
Mollons says:
The Coral Castle
I went with #1, as it fit nicely with another story I’ve had in my head for a while. Finally got some of it out onto “paper”.
http://scottmollon.com/newsflash/2017/03/07/the-coral-castle/
March 9, 2017 — 1:07 PM
Vicente L Ruiz says:
This was really hard. I couldn’t have a single idea to work on until I got to this.
Awakening:
https://medium.com/@VicenteLRuiz/awakening-bc83c02fe884#.3q1wp6wau
March 9, 2017 — 6:14 PM
jakashadows says:
The Wellspring
https://jakashadows.wordpress.com/2017/03/10/flash-fiction-the-wellspring/
I chose #1, it’s a little under the word count but it didn’t feel right trying to make it longer for those extra 225 words.
March 9, 2017 — 7:56 PM
Matthew X. Gomez says:
https://mxgomez.wordpress.com/2017/03/09/a-little-knowledge-a-chuck-wendig-challenge/
March 9, 2017 — 10:00 PM
Rebecca Douglass says:
I think I may have done evil just trying to do my homework and write this story.
http://www.ninjalibrarian.com/2017/03/friday-flash-fiction-on-road-to-hell.html
March 10, 2017 — 12:10 AM
The Urban Spaceman says:
I love War Games! Also loved Captain Planet (and his 1991 computer game, Captain Planet and the Planeteers) so this story felt like a little burst of delicious nostalgia wrapped up in a nightmare at the end. The actions which were intended to save the world, ultimately ended up dooming it. I love the paradox.
March 12, 2017 — 12:48 PM
Cameron Mount says:
“A Simple Stretch of Sand and Gravel” places the road to hell in New Jersey.
https://cameronamount.wordpress.com/2017/03/10/a-simple-stretch-of-sand-and-gravel-wendig-challenge/
March 10, 2017 — 9:28 AM
Jemima Pett says:
Here’s mine, just inside the deadline – a Road to Hell story…
http://jemimapett.com/blog/2017/03/10/fridayflash-fiction-rangers-tale/
March 10, 2017 — 10:46 AM
Michelle Baillargeon says:
Here’s my offering for this week’s challenge: The Object of My Attention
https://michelle-wordplay.blogspot.com/
Thanks for the great challenges, Chuck, it keeps the wheels turning!
March 10, 2017 — 10:59 AM
Mary Drake says:
Bailey knew that her coworker Debbie was a poser. Because she was middle aged, she fooled everyone into thinking she was a caring and maternal toward the infants in their daycare room, all eight of them. It was the maximum allowed by law, and all the babies were at stages, but none was over a year. Some could turn over; some crawled, army style or on hands and knees; some pulled themselves up and after a while would venture to take one or two steps unassisted. Those were the ones you had to watch the closest. But at some point, they all cried.
And cried and cried. To Bailey, the cries were desperate pleas, if she could just figure out for what. But Debbie didn’t seem fazed by them. Bailey sometimes suspected her of wearing earplugs, so indifferent was she their desperation. They were supposed to tend to four babies each, but it seldom worked that way. Debbie always had some other thing to do, as if Bailey could singlehandedly care for them all. She wished she could work with her friend Madison, knowing they could handle the workload well, together.
They had to write on the dry erase board and in an individual day log for each baby when she or he had a bottle, when her diaper was last changed, the hours she took a nap, what she ate for lunch if on solid foods, etc. Debbie loved the record keeping, but was less enthusiastic about giving the bottle or changing the diaper. When she did occasionally give a bottle, she looked out the window and wiggled the nipple in the baby’s mouth, so it wouldn’t fall asleep in her arms. Get it down the infant’s throat as quickly as possible seemed her motto. Maybe she’d just been doing it too many years. Madison would bring fresh perspective to the room.
Bailey loved the babies’ warmth in her arms as she gave bottles. She loved how they gazed up into her eyes and sometimes curled their tiny fingers around one of hers. When she changed them, she’d tickle Jason’s tummy or Marion’s feet and delight in their little belly laughs. But Debbie told her she took too long and that they needed to pick up the toys since CPS was coming in later for an inspection.
“And for god’s sake put your purse away,” Debbie snapped. “It’s against state regs. You could get fired for that.”
It was high enough that none of the infants could reach it, Bailey thought, as she put it in a cupboard. That’s when she got the idea.
Debbie decided to go on break–usually coffee and gossip with the secretary–and she said the infant room needed to be quiet when she returned, for the inspectors.
The babies always had what Bailey had dubbed “a howler” before their naps, as they worked themselves up into dropping off to sleep. It was quite a din when all eight of them cried at the same time. But Debbie wanted quiet–and Bailey wanted Madison–so she slipped the bottle of liquid Benadryl out of the medicine cabinet and poured a generous portion of the pink liquid into each of the bottles Debbie had prepared. It wasn’t harmful, Bailey rationalized, and would make them sleep. She smiled as she slipped the now-empty medicine bottle into Debbie’s purse and left both offending items on the windowsill, behind a stuffed bear. When CPS arrived, she’d put the bear back into the toy box, where it belonged. After all, neatness was everything.
March 10, 2017 — 5:23 PM
The Urban Spaceman says:
It would be better formatted and less wall-of-texty if you hosted it on your site and linked back to it here, in the manner of the other replies.
Also more polite.
March 12, 2017 — 12:41 PM