Flash Fiction Challenge: The End Of A Long Journey
That title sounds like I’m shuttering the flash fiction challenges forever, but I promise, that’s not the case — no, instead, I want you to use that idea as this week’s prompt.
What I mean is this:
I want you to write the end of a long journey.
That can mean whatever it needs to mean in the context of your story.
The story can be any genre.
The tricky bit here will be — how can you get in a beginning, a middle, and an end for what is ostensibly the period of a narrative consisting only the end? It’ll require you to bring some skills to bear to make it work, to give us all the information we need, and to make it more than a snapshot in time or just a vignette.
Length: ~1500 words
Due by: 4/14, Friday, noon EST
Post the story online.
Link to it in the comments below.
April 7, 2017 @ 7:44 PM
Well, Is it OK to post a rewrite here? WhutThHell, it’s the end of a journey, however many times written. So, go here: http://itinerantlibrul.blogspot.com/
April 11, 2017 @ 7:02 PM
I like your story, and I like the way you told it. Thanks for sharing.
April 13, 2017 @ 10:27 PM
My post is still “waiting moderation.” I am sorry I cannot share it with you. You would probably like it.
April 18, 2017 @ 7:52 PM
I liked the dialogue and the easy style of writing. I did feel like it was a piece of a larger tale (confirmed in your postcript) but a nice read.
April 7, 2017 @ 7:52 PM
http://youcantgoback-andotherimpossibilities.blogspot.com.au/2017/04/home.html
This was a good one!
enjoy!
April 11, 2017 @ 7:06 PM
There was a poignancy about your story that made me read between the lines. I was moved. Thank you for sharing it.
April 11, 2017 @ 11:56 PM
Thank you for your lovely comment. I always appreciate how people feel about my writing as it keeps me going with what I love to do.
April 18, 2017 @ 8:06 PM
Mixed a few “my” among the “me” so that jumped out at me, otherwise solid writing.
I remember reading that rat fleas don’t like horses much which is one of the reason nomadic populations were not affected as much, so I’m not sure about the horses dying, but I get literary license.
April 18, 2017 @ 10:45 PM
Oh! I didn’t know that… thanks for that info. I’ll keep it in mind for the next time I write something of this era. But I didn’t say how long she had been in the city for; so I left that to your imagination.
April 7, 2017 @ 10:13 PM
Please delete the link above. ,It’s not fiction.
April 8, 2017 @ 8:09 AM
He said any genre.
April 8, 2017 @ 3:03 PM
Yet another piece that I’m proud to say was inspired by Sir. Wendig *bows graciously*. Enjoy!
https://atcrump.com/2017/04/08/the-sands/
April 18, 2017 @ 8:26 PM
I think it should be “bearing” as opposed to “baring”.
The writing is fine, but I personally was distracted by the idea of a stalking snake. I thought it might have been a metaphor for something else, but the reveal of an actual snake was a bit of a letdown. For me, the story would work better if the snake encounter would have been accidental as opposed to giving the snake poorly understood (on my part) intent and agency.
April 18, 2017 @ 9:16 PM
Ah. Missed that. Thanks. The snake was meant to be a bit of a distraction. It wasn’t necessarily important to know it was real until the end. I specified its’ existence to parallel the impending doom -a story within the story of sorts. I’m sorry if that hindered your read. I felt that making it too clear would ruin the thought process, that I’d assumed the reader would have. I intend for my stories to be dissected in that way. I do appreciate your constructive feedback. Thanks again.
April 18, 2017 @ 9:52 PM
It might work if presented as a separate part of the story without a connection to the travelers and without specifying it being a snake; just an entity focused on hunting, resting, hunting. That lets you foreshadow a threat without giving it away.
April 9, 2017 @ 3:00 AM
https://dispersertracks.com/2017/04/08/flash-challenge-coming-home/
April 11, 2017 @ 7:38 PM
I liked your story, and I liked the ending. Life is tough, but it’s also very good.
April 18, 2017 @ 6:39 PM
Thank you, and sorry for the late reply . . . life is also engaging.
April 9, 2017 @ 11:30 PM
Here’s my story. I hope you enjoy it. http://geekonablog.blogspot.com/2017/04/the-end-of-long-journey.html
April 18, 2017 @ 6:23 PM
I really enjoyed this!
April 18, 2017 @ 8:32 PM
The trouble with having rats about . . .
Arrival – Flash Fiction Challenge – Becca Patterson
April 10, 2017 @ 7:33 PM
[…] I am again, enthralled by the Flash Fiction Challenge given by Chuck Wendig. This week he wanted us to write about the end of a long journey. The idea […]
April 10, 2017 @ 7:35 PM
Here’s mine. I hope you enjoy it. https://becca.mreauowpublishing.com/arrival-flash-fiction-challenge/
April 14, 2017 @ 11:53 AM
Lovely! I had a similar idea, but from a rather different perspective.
April 18, 2017 @ 8:38 PM
Nice.
The End Of A Long Journey | The Penultimate Universe
April 11, 2017 @ 5:22 AM
[…] is my latest entry into Chuck Wendigs’ Weekly Flash Fiction Challenge. I had to come up with a for the prompt The End Of A Long Journey and this is what I came up […]
April 11, 2017 @ 5:40 AM
Slightly cheating as this actually a draft of the epilogue for my current work in progress but I think it fits quite nicely. Hope you enjoy it!
http://wp.me/p4jIj9-b0
April 18, 2017 @ 6:41 PM
Great job with sensory details! They really pulled me into the story.
April 19, 2017 @ 6:20 AM
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.
April 18, 2017 @ 8:47 PM
Enjoyed reading it and met the requirement of letting the reader know about the journey itself.
On detail was unclear and hence left hanging; the rat and wires to the cyborg. I presume since this is an epilog to a current work that it’s something explained elsewhere.
April 19, 2017 @ 6:28 AM
Hi, thanks for reading and I’m really glad you enjoyed it. It’s good to know that my intent was clear enough.
With regards to the rat, wires and cyborg, you’re right in that it is delved into in more depth in the main body of the work. However, Holbrook’s line of dialogue when she goes to shoot the cyborg, ‘D-don’t,’ he said, ‘there’s been enough of this, don’t you think? It- it’s nearly gone anyway. Not m-much ju-juice from a rat.’ Should give you a clue as to what its trying to do. 😉
Thanks again!
Tim
Flash Fiction - The End Of A Long Journey - C M Harald Blog
April 11, 2017 @ 7:08 AM
[…] attempted a couple, but none have ever been completed until now. Below is my attempt at ‘The End Of A Long Journey’. The brief was quite simple in that it was 1,500 words on the end of a long journey. The […]
April 11, 2017 @ 7:14 AM
Here’s my first completed attempt at some flash fiction. Enjoy.
http://www.cmharald.net/the-end-of-a-long-journey
April 11, 2017 @ 7:50 PM
Nicely done.
April 13, 2017 @ 11:33 AM
Well done. 🙂
April 18, 2017 @ 8:57 PM
Nice.
April 11, 2017 @ 3:30 PM
I tried to come up with different idea but all I could think of was my mother and the last day we spent with her as a family. It’s not fiction, but it’s all I got.
https://sambrady.wordpress.com/2017/04/11/chuck-wendig-one-last-day
April 14, 2017 @ 8:54 AM
I suspect we have similar ideas, although different family members. Sending hugs.
April 14, 2017 @ 9:46 AM
Thanks.
Chuck Wendig: One Last Day | Writing The Egg 2.0
April 11, 2017 @ 3:53 PM
[…] week’s Chuck Wendig Flash Fiction Challenge is The End of a Long Journey. I tried to come up with a different idea but all I could think of was my mom and the last day we […]
April 12, 2017 @ 5:26 AM
Here’s mine, “Ghost Writer”. My mind linked the end of the journey to finishing a book, then everything went dark…
https://medium.com/@VicenteLRuiz/ghost-writer-c025e29f2517
April 12, 2017 @ 7:05 PM
Definitely nailed the creep factor.
April 14, 2017 @ 12:27 PM
Thanks! It means a lot.
April 14, 2017 @ 1:22 PM
I loved this. A dark twist in a seemingly normal situation is my favorite thing ever.
I would have liked just a bit more description of her dungeon. It didn’t detract from the story. I just wanted it for my own morbid curiosity.
April 18, 2017 @ 4:53 PM
Thank you. In my mind, the “dungeon” is just an empty basement…
April 18, 2017 @ 9:25 PM
As a fan of twist endings, I liked this, but I’m not sure there’s a feeling of a journey. Perhaps mentioning the mentioning previous book, current release and future novel was a stand-n for the concept.
Also, I think it should read “Romans”.
April 19, 2017 @ 6:00 PM
You’re absolutely right on both accounts. I did feel like I was cheating because the end of the journey was barely there.
Also yes, it should be “Romans”. It’s corrected now, thank you!
April 12, 2017 @ 10:18 AM
My story was inspired by the novel Phantastes by George MacDonald, whom Madeleine L’Engle lauds as “the father of us all.”
https://curioushart.wordpress.com/2017/04/12/long-journeys-end/
April 18, 2017 @ 9:30 PM
Definetely has a literary style to it. As with the offering above, I feel as if I’m dense since I don’t see the journey. I suppose the introductory quote serves as a warning to the fact.
April 13, 2017 @ 11:28 AM
“Ghost Writer” was clever and disturbing. My kind of story. 🙂
April 18, 2017 @ 6:34 PM
Oops.I missed this comment! Many thanks!
April 18, 2017 @ 8:20 PM
You’re welcome!
April 13, 2017 @ 3:54 PM
For some reason my story did not make it past the censors. I guarantee it is clean and playful–nary a rant in sight. So I will try again.
https://curioushart.wordpress.com/2017/04/12/long-journeys-end/
April 13, 2017 @ 8:14 PM
Well, not quite 1,500 words, but here is my story (science fiction as per usual): https://emweaverblog.wordpress.com/2017/04/14/ff-at-the-end-is-a-new-beginning/
April 18, 2017 @ 9:38 PM
A good offering in the current discussion of AIs, although I would argue any interaction lead to humans anthropormorphizing even inert objects (Pet Rocks being an extreme example).
It’s unclear to me if the entity is conscious or a true AI in today’s understanding of the world, but the story works well regardless the assumption.
April 14, 2017 @ 12:52 AM
I managed to pull it off in tune with my A to Z Challenge post. Though on reflection, I realize that the long journey isn’t over. Maybe it won’t ever be.
http://www.ninjalibrarian.com/2017/04/l-is-for-larsand-larry-atozchallenge.html
(Post goes live at 12 a.m. PDT).
April 18, 2017 @ 9:41 PM
Nice morsel.
April 14, 2017 @ 3:22 AM
Way short of the word limit but here’s my End of a long journey story https://kim153.wordpress.com/2017/04/14/home-safe-chuck-wendigs-flash-fiction-challenge-the-end-of-a-long-journey
April 14, 2017 @ 8:54 AM
A kind of memoir, combining two of Chuck’s prompts. Long Way Home…
http://jemimapett.com/blog/2017/04/14/fridayflash-fiction-long-way-home-atozchallenge/
April 14, 2017 @ 12:00 PM
Alright, I’m so down to the wire here. I always start these challenges, but never finish. BUT I MADE MYSELF FINISH THIS WEEK.
http://musesandmonsters.com
The paragraph formatting is off, but I’m trying to fix it.
April 18, 2017 @ 11:00 PM
Good conveyence of emotion and observation of human behavior.
I thought one word was off and had me pause: eminent. Mentally, I substituted “inevitable” but I’m not sure if that’s right. Perhaps you meant imminent, but it being a 10 years affair, I thought it didn’t fit.
April 19, 2017 @ 7:46 AM
Thank you! And no, you are 100% definitely the wrong word, I meant “imminent.” But I like inevitable much better. Thanks for the catch, and suggestion!
April 19, 2017 @ 7:49 AM
Was typing too fast, and left out a word. You are 100% correct.
April 14, 2017 @ 6:46 PM
That took longer than I expected, mostly because I had to take a week off to chaperone a school camping event. But I got back to do my edits today and here it is. I enjoyed this challenge.
http://thoughtitwasgood.blogspot.com/2017/04/flash-fiction-challenge-from.html
April 18, 2017 @ 7:39 PM
I absolutely loved this. Your use of repetition with “begin again” and relating it to his last name was great.
April 15, 2017 @ 12:05 AM
This is my submission. I do hope it is ok. I tried to tell my story as best I can.
Thank you for the challenge do let me know if you have another.
Gita Sturtevant
April 20, 2017 @ 1:37 AM
When next. Have me typing slow. Want to join. Which comment for me. Ple