Chuck Wendig: Terribleminds

Flash Fiction Challenge: Song Shuffle, Part II

Last week’s challenge — “Tell a story in five sentences” — is all tied up and cinched with a bow. Those looking for a winner to that challenge, keep your eyes peeled on that blog post. I’ll announce at some point today. It’s a toughie, as usual, because, fuckadang, so many good options.

I loved this challenge so much, I’m bringing it back a second time.

As they say, second verse, same as the first.

Here we go:

Go to Your Favorite Music Player. Dig out your digital music collection.

Maybe this is iTunes or Spotify, or use Pandora if you’d rather go that way.

Hit SHUFFLE, then “Play.”

Translation: pull up a random song.

The title to this song is the title to your story.

Use the song for inspiration, too, if you feel so inclined.

Word count is the full-bore double-barrel 1000 words, as usual.

You’ve got a week. Get your stories in by noon EST, March 9th. Just to be a little bit of a dick, I’m going to close the comments after that point — I don’t set a deadline for gits and shiggles, after all.

Post at your blog. Link back. You know the drill.

Now queue up some tunes and get thee to some wordsmithy.

terribleminds

64 responses to “Flash Fiction Challenge: Song Shuffle, Part II”

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  1. “Um, Marty, why are you in a suit?”

    Marty blinked very slowly. “Why are you in ratty jeans and a Metallica T-shirt? And are you seriously wearing a fake mullet attached to your ballcap?”

    “Dude! You said we were going to check out your buddy Igor’s sweet Firebird and listen to music. This seemed like the right kind of clothes.”

    Comprehension, horror, and disbelief raced screaming for the crack of dawn on Marty’s face. “What kind of moron are you? We are going to the symphony. To listen to Igor Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite!”

    Reply

  36. Since I don’t have a blog I’m posting the story here.

    iTunes tossed out “Ordinary Average Guy” by Joe Walsh at me.
    So I’m tossing this story out based on that song…

    ORDINARY AVERAGE GUY
    a flash fiction story
    by Jim Bartlett

    Lee stepped out of the car and stretched from the long ride under a sky that looked like rain. He glanced over at Frazier, still behind the wheel listening to the radio.
    Around the car the employee parking lot was still only half full, but it was early. And it was a Friday.
    “Gonna be a big day today,” Frazier said, finally stepping out from the car.
    Lee shrugged, saying nothing. He watched Frazier move to the front of the car and light a cigarette.
    “Not sure why that asshole is comin’ through these parts, ain’t no one here gonna vote for him no way.”
    Lee crossed his arms and smiled, but remained quiet.
    “You ain’t votin’ for him, is you?”
    “Nope.”
    Frazier cocked his mouth to the side and blew off a long stream of smoke.
    “Think you and the miss’us will be gettin’ back together?”
    Lee shuffled his feet. “Not that it’s any of your business, but, ain’t likely.”
    Frazier shook his head, took a final long drag and tossed the cigarette. “Didn’t mean to get you all in a huff. Just askin’, ya know?”
    Lee nodded. “Your mom’s real nice for lettin’ her stay there. Appreciate that.” He paused and looked up at the clouds now starting to part revealing a promising sun. “Things are starting to happen. Only a little longer and this will all be over.”
    A faded red Buick pulled up in the space one over from Frazier’s Chevy, leaving a trail of blue smoke in its wake. Lee could hear the radio blaring even with the windows closed. Much the same as Frazier, the man, red-faced with a barrel chest, was listening to the news.
    Lee moved around to the front of Frazier’s car and leaned against the hood just as the radio went quiet and the man pushed open his door.
    “Morning there, boys,” he called out. The voice was every bit as deep as his chest.
    Both Lee and Frazier nodded back.
    Frazier slid across the front next to Lee and glanced down at his watch.
    “Looks to me like we have more than ’nuff time to grab a cup of coffee before our shift starts. What’dya say we head in?”
    “Okay.”
    Lee straightened and started to follow Frazier as he headed for the loading dock on the backside of the tired-looking brick building.
    “Hey there,” called out the older man. “Don’t forget your package.”
    Lee spun around, his face suddenly flush. A slender package wrapped in newspaper leaned against the Chevy just behind the passenger door.
    “Thanks,” he said as he retrieved it. “Curtain rods for the apartment.”
    The man stuck out a big calloused hand.
    “You must be new here. Don’t reckon I’ve seen you around. I’m Mel Johnson…work on the fifth floor.”
    Lee shifted the package and met Mel’s hand.
    “Lee Oswald. I’ll be on the sixth.”

    Reply

  39. […] Flash Fiction Challenge made by Chuck Wendig at Terrible Minds: Go to Your Favorite Music Player. Dig out your digital music collection. Maybe this is iTunes or Spotify, or use Pandora if you’d rather go that way. Hit SHUFFLE, then “Play.” Translation: pull up a random song. The title to this song is the title to your story. Use the song for inspiration, too, if you feel so inclined. Word count is the full-bore double-barrel 1000 words, as usual. […]

    Reply

  48. I give you a “twofer” this week.

    The first song I pulled up randomly was “The Dawning Of The Blackest Day” by my old band Forsake The Flesh, from an unreleased demo. Hardly fair, so I called it a mulligan, but I wrote a story on it anyway.

    The second song was “Watching Me Fall”, by The Cure.
    http://corpse-to-be.blogspot.com/2012/03/flash-fiction-challenge-song-shuffle.html

    You can read the story based on the FTF song here:
    http://corpse-to-be.blogspot.com/2012/03/flash-fiction-challenge-song-shuffle_08.html

    Reply
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