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.”
Darren G Miller says:
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
July 20, 2011 — 12:12 PM
BA Boucher says:
And here I go again:
http://defconwhiskey.wordpress.com/2011/07/20/desolation-with-strange-camels/
July 20, 2011 — 12:58 PM
Bob Bois says:
Oh hell, just because…
http://sittingindarkness.wordpress.com/2011/04/12/dummies-nuclear-test-site-nevada-1953/
July 20, 2011 — 9:14 PM
Amy Tupper says:
If Wishes Were Butterflies
http://amytupper.net/2011/07/20/if-wishes-were-butterflies
July 20, 2011 — 9:32 PM
Joel Matulich says:
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/
July 21, 2011 — 12:05 AM
Veronica Marie Lewis-Shaw says:
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/
July 21, 2011 — 12:32 AM
Brian Buckley says:
IT IS DONE.
http://briandbuckley.com/2011/07/21/flash-fiction-scissors-with-running/
July 21, 2011 — 6:35 AM
Mike Williams says:
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
July 21, 2011 — 12:09 PM
Albert Berg says:
Salt of the Earth
http://unsanityfiles.wordpress.com/2011/07/21/salt-of-the-earth/
July 21, 2011 — 12:35 PM
Mike says:
Let’s try this again
http://www.katabatikos.com/2011/07/post-apocalypse.html
July 21, 2011 — 4:46 PM
Kathlyn H says:
Here’s mine for your reading pleasure.
http://janjepriestess.blogspot.com/2011/07/end-of-world-for-terriblemindscom.html
July 21, 2011 — 7:58 PM
Gary M says:
Here’s a story about looking on the bright side.
http://www.unflinching.org/silver_linings.htm
July 21, 2011 — 10:51 PM
Robyn says:
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
July 21, 2011 — 11:53 PM
CMStewart says:
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.
July 22, 2011 — 9:45 AM
HJR says:
Please enjoy:
http://www.anypocalypse.com/2011/07/flash-fiction-twinkle-twinkle.html
July 22, 2011 — 11:12 AM
Joe Myers says:
http://hellfirewriters.wordpress.com/2011/07/22/grand-slam/
Here you go — enjoy!
July 22, 2011 — 11:54 AM
terribleminds says:
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.
July 22, 2011 — 2:53 PM
terribleminds says:
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.
July 25, 2011 — 3:31 PM
anon says:
how’s the reading?
July 27, 2011 — 5:33 PM
terribleminds says:
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.”
July 28, 2011 — 7:01 AM
Josh says:
Congrats to all the winners! There were a LOT of good stories in the running.
July 28, 2011 — 9:35 AM
terribleminds says:
What Mister Loomis says is true. Including his own, which was certainly a contender.
— c.
July 28, 2011 — 9:39 AM
Bob Bois says:
Congratulations everyone! There were some great stories in this week’s challenge. I’m still reading through them.
July 28, 2011 — 12:43 PM
angie brooksby Arcangioli says:
Congrats, great choices, I liked Samantha’s best.
July 29, 2011 — 3:49 AM
HJR says:
I liked Samantha’s as well.
Brian’s was also highly amusing. More people should reference the Ottaman Empire
July 29, 2011 — 12:45 PM
Snellopy says:
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
January 6, 2012 — 12:33 AM