AND WE’RE BACK.
It’s time to revivify these challenges, I think, and this time around, let’s lean hard into our current geopolitical poopshow and ponder THE APOCALYPSE.
Except, here’s the deal.
I don’t want you to write THE USUAL APOCALYPSE.
I want you to make one up you have not seen before.
A rare, strange, unparalleled apocalypse. Unexpected. Unwritten.
You have, ohhh, let’s say 1500 words to give us a glimpse of your brand new uniquely-you Apocalypse. Due on (dun dun dun) Friday the 13th, by noon EST. Post at your online space, drop a link in the comments below so we can all read it. Go forth and end the world, my friends, and write a compelling tale to go along with a fitting end.
Mr Urban Spaceman says:
This was fun—I enjoyed the challenge!
https://mrurbanspaceman.wordpress.com/2017/01/06/literary-apocalypse/
January 6, 2017 — 9:42 AM
Christopher says:
That was great haha!
January 7, 2017 — 3:25 PM
Mr Urban Spaceman says:
Thank yah!
January 7, 2017 — 4:00 PM
thomaspierson says:
Love this idea. It’s the literary equivalent of taking a step up when there isn’t a step there. Nice.
January 8, 2017 — 5:32 AM
boundbeautifunk says:
This. Is. Awesome.
January 13, 2017 — 7:19 PM
Angela says:
Jebus Mr. Spaceman, what’d you do get up and write this before the butt crack of…oh…I see what you did there. That’s kinda awesome.
January 6, 2017 — 10:12 AM
Rachel E Bailey says:
I’ve got one that fits this challenge:
The Eleventh Plague
Written for the prompt: Why it should never rain bubblegum.
Feedback and concrit would be appreciated. I’ll certainly return the favor 🙂
January 6, 2017 — 10:31 AM
Jason S Miller says:
Fun and I like the ending, what is the next wish? 🙂
January 6, 2017 — 11:04 AM
Rachel E Bailey says:
I’m thinking the selfish jerk wishes for a million wishes and the REAL Apocalypse begins once he makes the first few :-0
January 6, 2017 — 2:15 PM
Mr Urban Spaceman says:
I love it! I wish I could offer concrit, but you address most of my mental interjections (“But… desalination plants!”) as I continued reading, and adequately explained how the world ended up in such a nightmarish Apocalypse. PLUS you used “fewer”, rather than “less”, with regards to people.
What more can I ask for?
…except a monkey hand of my own, of course.
January 6, 2017 — 2:27 PM
shara-ko says:
That started strangely cute (bubblegum! bubblegum FOREVER) and then got into the apocalypse like you’re sitting on a merry go round and then the music slowly starts getting slower…and darker…
But that twist in the end! Talk about real effed up – I love it. XD Thanks for the story!
January 7, 2017 — 3:20 PM
thomaspierson says:
That was pretty fun. I love the idea of the ridiculous taken completely seriously and examined on it’s own merits. Plus, it was a kick in the ass to see the fall, rise, and beginnings of the next cycle.
January 8, 2017 — 5:55 AM
Rachel E Bailey says:
Thank you so much! I had so much fun writing it and just letting my brain run wild! And if anyone is good at taking ridiculous things seriously, it’s me 😀
Did you post a piece? If so, link me, so I can read and gush!
January 13, 2017 — 5:32 PM
thomaspierson says:
I did post one, here’s the link. https://ello.co/thomas_m_pierson/post/ggi3czf1–wpykjo_4b3tw
January 13, 2017 — 8:12 PM
cassnewbould says:
https://cassnwrites.wordpress.com/2017/01/06/signal-loss-or-my-apocalypse-now-flash-fiction-entry-for-terribleminds-com/
That was almost too much fun! Thank you 🙂
January 6, 2017 — 4:43 PM
StarNinja says:
So that was pretty fucking awesome. Any president who can make their Twitter posts real would soon herald the end of an age, I feel, regardless of their bald eagle aversion or Cheeto-like complexion. Thanks for sharing this with the world!
January 8, 2017 — 1:53 PM
cassnewbould says:
Haha, thanks 🙂 As soon as I read the prompt all I could think about was what if Tweets were like wishes… that would be one fucked up Apocalyptic situation
January 8, 2017 — 3:07 PM
Emily Howitt says:
Very nice. I enjoyed reading that.
January 12, 2017 — 7:36 PM
wyndes says:
https://wordpress.com/post/sarahwynde.wordpress.com/3848
This challenge fit my mood so well…
January 6, 2017 — 9:27 PM
Mozette says:
http://youcantgoback-andotherimpossibilities.blogspot.com.au/2017/01/the-sounds-of-silence.html
I’ve noticed this over the past few months…
Enjoy.
January 6, 2017 — 9:46 PM
StarNinja says:
Nice. Really makes you think about how much the world resembles a post-apocalyptic dystopia to someone 100, even 50 years ago.
*Listens to Sound of Silence cover on MySpace*
January 8, 2017 — 2:19 PM
Mozette says:
Thank you. 😀
I’ve been noticing this more and more. People looking at their phones more than looking around at the real world around them… sometimes, I catch myself doing that too. It’s the addiction to it all that makes evil. But it makes us turn completely silent when we are in a room full of others talking.
My brother has told me off for opening my phone up at his place, when really I’m not being rude, I’m looking for something that has to do with the conversation… and nothing to do with cutting people out. This can be a double-edged sword for us all, can’t it?
January 8, 2017 — 10:36 PM
Lester Nieves says:
It’s been quite a long time since I last made one of these. Three years, maybe. Anyway, I wrote this…uh…thing. Hope this mad apocalyptic idea makes others smile as much as I did while writing it.
http://lesternieves.tumblr.com/thedeserter
January 6, 2017 — 10:05 PM
RachelDPanda says:
Liked this so much I’m following you on the Tumblrs now 😀
January 8, 2017 — 2:39 PM
boundbeautifunk says:
Oh my gosh. I don’t want to give it away, but this one has such an excellent twist.
January 13, 2017 — 7:26 PM
thomaspierson says:
I really enjoyed this one. I hope others do, too.
https://ello.co/thomas_m_pierson/post/ggi3czf1–wpykjo_4b3tw
[For reasons unknown to me, I am unable to post this as a link. Seriously, I have never had this problem before.]
January 7, 2017 — 4:58 AM
Mr Urban Spaceman says:
Fun story! It reminds me of my younger days. I’m glad the robot was saved, though I can’t say I necessarily approve of picking up hitchhikers like that. Robots can be so troublesome, at times.
January 8, 2017 — 12:22 PM
thomaspierson says:
I have a strange feeling with the robot had opened with “I think you ought to know that I’m feeling very depressed,” the researcher would have simply destroyed it.
January 9, 2017 — 2:33 PM
Mr Urban Spaceman says:
Maybe the researcher would’ve had something that may take his mind off it.
January 9, 2017 — 3:23 PM
thomaspierson says:
…but he has such an incredibly large mind.
January 10, 2017 — 10:33 AM
Mr Urban Spaceman says:
To prove that I definitely not have a THHGTTG quote problem and can quit ANY TIME I WANT, I’m going to stop right this very moment.
Also I ran out of reply button.
January 10, 2017 — 4:24 PM
Mozette says:
I like this one too! A great storyline; and kept me guessing right to the end. 😀
January 8, 2017 — 11:09 PM
shara-ko says:
Wasn’t sure if my comment went through. Flash Fic using my deviantart account! Love this theme 🙂
http://sharakomuse.deviantart.com/journal/Apocalypse-and-Gin-655830380
January 7, 2017 — 5:54 AM
boundbeautifunk says:
I knew I was going to enjoy writing this when I had one search window up containing livestock statistics and another checking the definition of freebasing.
https://cheesywriterblog.wordpress.com/2017/01/07/kentucky-freed-chicken/
January 7, 2017 — 4:35 PM
RachelDPanda says:
My fav so far.
January 8, 2017 — 2:57 PM
AnonymouseMouse says:
Well written, but I’m not really a fan of murdering birds, so I didn’t finish it. It’s why we need to prevent the apocalypse you guys! To save bird’s lives!
January 9, 2017 — 2:15 PM
thomaspierson says:
I really liked this one, the irony is so thick it almost chokes you on the way down. Awesome!
January 9, 2017 — 2:44 PM
twig687 says:
WHOA. The imagery in this is so good. If I have nightmares, I blame you!
January 12, 2017 — 7:45 PM
Kim Lloyd (@KimJ721) says:
Those mothercluckers!
January 13, 2017 — 9:07 AM
Digital Desperado says:
First time poster for this sort of thing. Hope you Enjoy it.
http://cybertavern.blogspot.com/2017/01/terrible-minds-flash-fiction-challenge.html
January 8, 2017 — 4:04 AM
boundbeautifunk says:
Totally enjoyed it! Excellence.
January 13, 2017 — 7:43 PM
Digital Desperado says:
Oh my goodness thank you. So nervous to do this after not writing creatively for so long. Glad you enjoyed it.
January 13, 2017 — 10:48 PM
Lou Cadle says:
Repentance
http://www.loucadle.com/2017/01/repentance-short-story.html
January 8, 2017 — 12:37 PM
StarNinja says:
Here is my Apocalypse which is both personal and worldwide. Any similarity to recent events or people is entirely coincidental or not at all.
https://wormholelesstraveled.wordpress.com/2017/01/08/the-apocalypse-we-all-deserve/
January 8, 2017 — 12:52 PM
AnonymouseMouse says:
I like the character of PsychoPampador, makes for a clever nickname.
I have so many questions though.
First, which ending would you pick for the story if you could only choose one?
Would you combined some of them?
Was the machine L and PP’s creation (I can’t remember how to spell the female lead’s name so I’m just abbreviating) or were there two separate machines that did two separate things, one created by L and the other created by Mr. PP?
January 9, 2017 — 4:24 PM
StarNinja says:
Thanks for reading! I honestly wouldn’t choose either ending, they’re both so depressing. The machine was Lakshmi’s creation but was funded with PP’s money. There was only the one, but what it ended up doing was sealing everyone in a bubble of their own making so they lived out their greatest desires. Turns out what we really want most is usually not what we really wanted at all. Anyways, Happy New Year, AnonymouseMouse!
January 11, 2017 — 6:13 PM
Jemima Pett says:
I was slightly ahead of you here, as I did this for the last Friday of the year – but I hope you like it.
http://jemimapett.com/blog/2016/12/30/fridayflash-fiction-five-years-on/
I’ve also put together some of your FF ideas and links to randomising websites on a page on my site, in case you have to go awol again. Just so I have somewhere I can find them again! I’ve given you all the credit. Let me know if you feel this is inappropriate.
Hope the writing, filmifying and daddying is going well, and happy new year!
January 8, 2017 — 5:14 PM
RachelDPanda says:
Absolutely loved this. I’m so happy you shared it.
January 14, 2017 — 8:49 PM
Jemima Pett says:
Thanks
January 15, 2017 — 5:51 AM
Doug Daniel says:
Went in a completely different direction–
https://douglasdanieldotcom.wordpress.com/2017/01/08/chuck-wendigs-flash-fiction-challenge-apocalypse-now/
January 8, 2017 — 10:49 PM
Theresa Jacobs says:
Your writing and use of language is absolutely beautiful. You have great skills, I enjoyed that!
January 14, 2017 — 1:11 PM
OmegaMom says:
The Mold
http://archiveofourown.org/works/9261431
January 8, 2017 — 11:38 PM
Theresa Jacobs says:
HaHa Excellent! #Slimageddon2017 – that was great thanks!
January 14, 2017 — 1:15 PM
dcxli says:
I’ve been waiting for these to make a return.
Work and school made me finish later than I would have like, but I’m proud of the result.
Let me know what you think!
https://dcxli.wordpress.com/2017/01/09/roots/
January 10, 2017 — 2:58 AM
Skye says:
This was a good one!
January 11, 2017 — 5:53 PM
dcxli says:
Thanks! I’m glad you liked it.
January 11, 2017 — 7:49 PM
nwjn says:
Hi, all. New to this forum although an admirer of this blog for some time. Anyway, my friend and I just wrote a story for another apocalypse prompt that fits here. A little nod to Robert Sheckley as well. Thanks!
https://nwjnmusings.wordpress.com/archway/
January 10, 2017 — 10:17 AM
Theresa Jacobs says:
I love your writing style, you use language beautifully.
January 11, 2017 — 9:14 PM
Matthew X. Gomez says:
Been looking forward to the return of these as well.
https://mxgomez.wordpress.com/2017/01/10/a-final-demonstration-of-the-principles-of-dimensionality-a-chuck-wendig-challenge/
January 10, 2017 — 1:12 PM
Sam Brady says:
It’s called “Derelict”. Please to enjoy.
https://sambrady.wordpress.com/2017/01/10/chuck-wendig-derelict/
January 10, 2017 — 7:20 PM
Gant's Rants says:
I haven’t written flash fiction in maybe a year, and never for one of these challenges, but here goes nothin’. It may be too similar a conceit to Mr. Urban Spaceman’s, actually; my apologies, if so. The “unwritten” in the prompt took my brain to much the same place.
https://gantsrants.wordpress.com/2017/01/10/small-words/
January 11, 2017 — 12:07 AM
twig687 says:
Dude. Freakin love this. One of my all-time favorite movies is Pontypool and this put me in mind of that. Great job!
January 12, 2017 — 7:31 PM
Mr Urban Spaceman says:
Not at all too similar, and a great read, too. It really makes one think about the words we use in our everyday vernacular, and how much we’d struggle if we had to reduce our vocabulary to single-syllable words.
May I suggest the sum of three and four is “blurg”?
January 13, 2017 — 8:29 AM
Skye says:
Well done! Not just a fancy trick, but well-written, too.
January 13, 2017 — 6:09 PM
Gant's Rants says:
Thanks, everyone! I really appreciate the kind words.
I love Pontypool, as well – and was thinking about it, as well, as I wrote.
I’m glad I’ve not trod on your toes, Mr. Urban Spaceman. And “blurg” it is.
And thanks to you, as well, Skye! I found that the limitation I’d imposed almost forced me to get a little poetic with things.
I’m glad you guys enjoyed reading it. And I’m thinking about expanding it, perhaps…
January 14, 2017 — 7:51 PM
Vicente L Ruiz says:
OK, I recycled an idea from a past challenge I never finished, from last year or maybe 2015, I think. I hope this is strange enough. I did have fun writing it.
Four Siblings: https://medium.com/@VicenteLRuiz/four-siblings-42f0d39fb590#.hejaa060i
January 11, 2017 — 5:20 AM
Michelle Baillargeon says:
This is my very first shot at one of Chuck’s writing prompts. I hope you like it, it was fun to write and I had way too much to include in 1,500 words. It was a great exercise and it was nice to get on a different stream of writing from my WIP.
Maggie and the Apocalypse: https://michelle-wordplay.blogspot.com
I’m off to read your stories now!
January 11, 2017 — 5:17 PM
Skye says:
Hooray for more Flash Fiction challenges! It was fun to take a break from my WIP to do this one. http://runnerskye.ca/flash-fiction-challenge-apocalypse-now/
January 11, 2017 — 5:30 PM
lpstribling says:
Chuck – thanks for the challenge. As a reward, have some pleather: http://www.lpstribling.com/?p=3291
January 11, 2017 — 8:53 PM
Theresa Jacobs says:
I would love anyone’s thoughts on my twist … I am going to read others stories now, I didn’t want any outside influnece. It’s been fun
https://medium.com/@theresajcbs/all-because-of-the-bees-d89beec1bc91#.onmc9x1xz
January 11, 2017 — 8:59 PM
Christopher Slagle says:
Very happy to see a new prompt here! Thanks, Chuck!
I give you: The Harvest https://christopherslagle.wordpress.com/2017/01/11/flash-fiction-the-harvest
January 11, 2017 — 11:14 PM
Stentor Danielson says:
Being a little silly with this one: http://mapsburgh.tumblr.com/post/155749243566/apocatlypse
January 11, 2017 — 11:44 PM
K.E. Stewart says:
This is more of an individual apocalypse, but it’s new to me and I only had 2 days. Hope it is worthy.
Six Steps From Hell: https://kestewart.wordpress.com/2017/01/12/flash-fiction/
January 12, 2017 — 10:20 AM
JenniferShelby says:
“The sun won’t go out, mummy. The dragons will save us,” a four-year-old said. A Bedtime Story of the Apocalypse. https://thedailystory.wordpress.com/2017/01/12/a-bedtime-story-of-the-apocalypse/
Thanks for a fun prompt!
January 12, 2017 — 10:50 AM
Julie Clark (@_JulieClark_) says:
This was so fun! I took a turn on a more psychological route. (Loving reading everyone’s!) Enjoy!
“Jess, Josh and the Old Lady”:
http://authorjulieclark.com/short-stories/jess-josh-and-the-old-lady-flash-fiction-by-julie-clark/
~Julie Clark
January 12, 2017 — 11:20 AM
Starbuck says:
Apocalypse Now
The following journal entries are an account of the first days after the 2016 election. They are now on display at the Trumpsonian Institute.
Day …
apocalypse,trump,journal,politics,climate,election
https://byrootandtwig.wordpress.com/2016/11/11/apocalypse-now/
January 12, 2017 — 11:50 AM
Paul Moss says:
Quite fun! Here we go…
The Universal End: https://www.scorpionresponse.com/posts/2017/01/the-universal-end/
January 12, 2017 — 2:52 PM
Ellen says:
Thank you for this prompt! Held off on reading others’ stories till I finished mine, so excited to get to that now. This is my first time doing one of your prompts and it was just what I needed to get a little writing energy flowing.
“The Green Earth”: https://ilifistories.wordpress.com/2017/01/12/the-green-earth/
January 12, 2017 — 4:10 PM
boundbeautifunk says:
Quite the unique apocalypse!
January 13, 2017 — 7:47 PM
Kim Lloyd (@KimJ721) says:
This is immensely silly but I had fun.
http://kimberlylloydwrites.blogspot.com/2017/01/odor-geddon.html
January 12, 2017 — 5:42 PM
Emily Howitt says:
So I wasn’t going to do this one, but once the creative juices start flowing you can’t really stop them. I figured, what’s scarier to writers than a world you can’t write in?
So here it is: http://emilyhowitt.blogspot.ca/2017/01/the-literary-apocalypse.html
January 12, 2017 — 6:52 PM
Rebecca Douglass says:
Well, I took the “your of “your apocalypse” more than the “apocalypse” part. So here’s my story:
http://www.ninjalibrarian.com/2017/01/flash-fiction-friday-when-worlds-end.html
January 12, 2017 — 8:25 PM
Mr Urban Spaceman says:
Grr. Having technical difficulties publishing my comment on your story page, so here it is:
I love the whole premise of the story, and how the protagonist finds strength through adversity. She’s a real role-model. It’s very true that the world ends for somebody every day, thanks to personal tragedy, misery, suffering, etc. It’s a good take on Chuck’s prompt!
January 13, 2017 — 8:58 AM
RachelDPanda says:
This is my first time posting here. I’m seeing a lot of that on here so good to know I’m not alone. I hope ya’ll enjoy Purrrfect Future. Comments and critiques, either here or via the Tumblr are welcomed.
http://racheldpanda.tumblr.com/post/155789064116/flash-fiction-challenge-jan-2017
January 12, 2017 — 9:43 PM
Mr Urban Spaceman says:
Hmm. Can’t see a ‘comment’ button on your Tumblr. Must be a Tumble thing.
Anyhoo, it was an enjoyable, wacky story that terrified me because I could definitely see this happening. I’ve always thought my cat was too smart for his own good, and that evidence to the contrary was just him FAKING being dumb to throw me off his trail.
I can’t help but feel sorry for Momo—I mean, Melanie. I have a feeling she’s the Fluffs’ equivalent of Paris Hilton’s bag-dog. Overall, an excellent take on the prompt.
January 13, 2017 — 9:09 AM
RachelDPanda says:
Thanks. And yeah, over the years Tumblr has become more and more of a closed system. :-/
January 14, 2017 — 12:44 PM
Ridley Kemp says:
Less a story than a silly bit of stunt formatting, but it was fun. Please do not read this until a cure has been found.
https://www.ridleykemp.com/stories/2017/1/13/please-do-not-read-this-until-a-cure-has-been-found
January 13, 2017 — 12:47 AM
tohookthesun says:
I saw the prompt and I’ve been trying to get back to writing more, so this is extremely rusty:
https://tohookthesun.wordpress.com/2017/01/13/from-clay/
…well, not actually rust. A different, but not particularly preferable, substance.
January 13, 2017 — 2:55 AM
Alice E Keyes says:
not complete but this bit marks that I’m back writing – http://aliceekeyes.blogspot.com/
January 13, 2017 — 10:51 AM
dragonwriter559 says:
This was fun!
https://dragonwriterweb.wordpress.com/2017/01/13/cheese-pocolypse/
January 13, 2017 — 11:30 AM