“It was really dark last night, but I’m pretty sure this is the place.” Bailey told Officer Chase. Continue reading “Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: Killer and Victim”
Category: Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner
Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: The Woman in the Grave
The first one was a surprise. He had thought he discovered the bones of an ancient creature buried in the back of his ranch but as he continued the excavation, he discovered that the creature was no ancient creature Continue reading “Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: The Woman in the Grave”
Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: Stay
Inspired by a work in progress… Continue reading “Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: Stay”
Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: It’s Just Notes!
“All right, it’s time for dinner.” Tommy’s mother calls from down the hall in the kitchen. She sets the dishes on the counter and gives the air a quick sniff. Hmm, she thinks. “Tommy.” She sings, still Tommy doesn’t appear. So she decides to make her way down the hall to his bedroom. Tommy has his head lean against the piano while his little fingers are gently tapping the keys. “Well, aren’t you a little composer?” His mother says.
Tommy groans, indicative of wanting to be left alone. “Dinner’s ready.” His mother says. Tommy groans again. “Come on, honey,” his mother places a hand on his shoulder, “you can come back after dinner.”
Tommy’s groan grows louder. “This can’t be that hard.” He says. “It’s just notes!”
“Maybe you just need a break, free your eyes from those notes for a while. Then when you come back, I’m sure it’ll jog your mind.” Slowly, Tommy sighs, sits up, and slides off the piano bench. “There’s my little composer.” His mother smiles.
(165 words)
The same thing is actually happening to me. I look at the notes and would say, “It’s just notes!” but somehow, I can’t get my fingers to move to the notes.
This is a response for Roger Shipp’s new flash fiction challenge, Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner. We are given the beginning of the sentence and we are to finish the story.
Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: Ghost Story
“There was once a young girl, engaged to be married. Continue reading “Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: Ghost Story”
Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: Smart and Stupid
“Where’s the shovel?” Sebastian asked but before I could speak, he chided on. “Didn’t you bring the shovel? How’s one supposed to bury a body with only one shovel?” My mouth opened, “Oh, I see. . You’re expecting me to do all the work, aren’t you?” Continue reading “Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: Smart and Stupid”
Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: Manic Driver
“I’m sure that the little girl in that back seat was signing us.” Molly said. Continue reading “Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: Manic Driver”
Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: A Sad Tale
We walked side-by-side silently along the beach with the urn hugged tightly against my chest as I occasionally shot a glance at him. He did the same and deep down, I could tell he’s guilty. After all, he’d betrayed me, gone against my order to stay, and worst of all, he had lost my trust. Continue reading “Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: A Sad Tale”
Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: Payback
Ben opened his eyes to a blinding light. “What the…” he muttered and realized a train was speeding toward him. He tried to get up and immediately noticed he was tied down. “What is this?” He said, “a western movie?”
“Nope,” a crisp voice said. He glanced up and saw his girlfriend, Astra, sitting cross-legged on the railing, smoking a cigarette. She uncrossed her legs, jumped off the railings, and stomped out the cigarette. “It’s called payback.”
Ben looked at her, shaking his head, confused, “payback for what?”
“For cheating, you jerk!” She snarled. That’s when another woman walked up beside Astra, she placed her hand on her hip and popped it with sass. “You didn’t think we’d find out, did you?” Astra asked. “We’re best friends. I bet you’re wishing you’ve never cheated on me, right?”
“Y-you can’t just leave me here!” Ben shouted as he struggled to loosen the ropes.
“Can’t we?” The other woman, Blake, questioned and giggled as she and Astra began walking away. The two of them laughed and shared a high-five as they enjoyed listening to Ben screaming, “I’m gonna get you bitches!” behind them. Blake sneered and scoffed, “Yeah, in another life.”
(199 Words)
This is a response for Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner where we are given a line to incorporate into the story.
Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: The Letter
This was the first time I had ever had to sign for a letter addressed to Occupant. Continue reading “Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: The Letter”
Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: The Nightmare
Bare-footed in her pajamas, she stands in an empty parking lot. Slowly, she opens her eyes, takes in the cool midnight breeze and her surroundings, where am I, is her first thought. She is standing before a garbage can. Feeling confused, she peeks inside the trash can and screams.
Still screaming, she bolts upright on her bed, hands on her chest, gasping for breath. “What the hell was that?!” She shrieks and glances at her alarm clock. It’s almost 3 am. She flips her blanket and sits on the edge of the bed, rubbing her eyes. It felt so real, she keeps thinking. After a few minutes, unable to sleep, she decides to get up, goes to her closet, and changes her pajamas to her jogging outfit.
With her door locked and the keys in her zipped-up pocket, she pursues down the street. She jogs, concentrates on expelling the thoughts from her head, and soon, she finds herself at the edge of town, the recently-closed-down Family Dollar store looms before her. “Oh my god,” she gasps and crosses the road to the out-of-nowhere-empty parking lot. She heads to the garbage can in the corner of the lot, slowly lifts the lid, “Oh my god, I wasn’t dreaming. It’s real.”
(200 Words)
This is a response for Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner where we are given a line to incorporate into the story.
Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: The Day…
I know it’s only been three weeks but I miss you already. The day you left was the day I lost a big sister. The way you smiled at me, the way you guided and taught me to safely use the machinery, I will never forget the day when you secretly gave me a piece of candy. Continue reading “Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: The Day…”
Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: The Book
The lamp dims ever so slightly and the floor rocks gently as a breeze blows through the room. Continue reading “Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: The Book”
Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: Chester the Dog
“For the thousandth time, I promise you, it wasn’t me!” I screamed and stormed to my room. I’m seventeen, not five, I don’t spill and knock things to the ground on purpose. Continue reading “Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: Chester the Dog”
Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: Conscience
“I can’t wait to show you my place,” Luke said to Hayley at the bar. Continue reading “Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: Conscience”
Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: Trouble and Death
The last time, everything fit in three duffles but of course, last time, there was only one body, now there’s two. Continue reading “Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: Trouble and Death”
Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: Psychotic Revenge
Drew lost his best friend, Hunter, that day when Hunter ambushed him on his way home. “I said enough is enough, man.” He shouted as he struggled to free himself from Hunter’s grasp. “You’re a psycho,” he said after he elbowed Hunter hard in the ribs to free himself. “No wonder everyone left you.” I was crazy for even standing by your side. He wanted to say but walked away instead, gritting his teeth in an effort to stave off the pain.
“Don’t you walk away from me, you bastard?! We’re not done here!” Hunter shouted as he lay on the gravel with possibly broken ribs.
When Drew arrived home later that afternoon, his girlfriend, Celia was there. “Oh my god,” she gasped and touched the bruises on his face, “what happened to you?”
“Hunter happened.” Drew replied flatly. “He is apparently jealous of our relationship.”
“What?” Celia shrieked handing him an icepack, “What is there to be jealous about?”
“You were his girlfriend before us.” Drew shook his head, “It doesn’t matter anymore. I’m calling his parents to have him committed. He’s done too much shit to too many people and he had just crossed the line.”
(~198 words)
This is a response for Roger Shipp’s new flash fiction challenge, Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner. We are given the beginning of the sentence and we are to finish the story.
Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: Poisoned
We were within a mile-and-a-half of the service roads when we found him. How could I miss with the vultures circling the sky? Continue reading “Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: Poisoned”
Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: The Breakup
“It seemed a good idea at the time?” Tyler said, slamming his hands on the table. “Are you kidding me? We have no job, no money, living in a converted garage borrowing electricity, food, and water. So tell me, what part of having your girlfriend move in for free seem like a good idea?” Darwin ducked his head and Tyler took two steps back, bumping his head against the light bulb in the process. “I’m sorry, buddy.” He apologized a few deep breaths later, “I don’t mean to yell at you. It’s just we are both smart people and when I decided to partner up with you, I thought we’d make something of ourselves.” Darwin looked as though he’s about to say something but Tyler continued, “I’m sorry. I-I just need some air.”
Ten seconds after Tyler stepped out of the garage, Darwin shakily pulled out his phone and dialed Sandra’s number. It went to voicemail. Darwin swallowed. “Sandra, this is Darwin. I am sorry but I think we should stop seeing each other.”
(166 words)
This is a response for Roger Shipp’s new flash fiction challenge, Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner. We are given the beginning of the sentence and we are to finish the story.
Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: Me and My Wine
Of all the places I thought I would end up with my parents and sisters on New Year’s Eve but instead, I’m spending it here in this empty bowling alley which I rented for the night. They kicked me out, see, apparently I’m not good enough for them. Continue reading “Flash Fiction For the Purposeful Practitioner: Me and My Wine”