Go Big, Go Home I was sitting on the porch at 10 am when I saw my neighbor’s teenager approaching. “You’re home early,” I said. “They sent me home.” He shrugged. “I brought a cake in for my birthday.” “You got in trouble? For a cake?” “It was a big cake. Seven feet tall. I…
Tag: flash fiction
A Study in Excitement
A Study in Excitement I’ve got a Spanish exam tomorrow, but of course my lame family has to go to the amusement park together. My academic future means nothing, I guess. Lead on, Mom. I smuggle in a notebook to study while we wait in line. I pull it out again on the rollercoaster as…
Asile
Asile You lie on cold marble staring at the dome above. Blood leaks onto beautiful tiles. “Back!” you hear. “This is a sanctuary. You have no right.” You turn your head and see the priest standing in the doorway, keeping the mob out with his body. You close your eyes. The door slams and the…
Humanity’s Day Out
Humanity’s Day Out The humans were restless. Gryxad glanced at them on the holding bay monitor as the ship pulled up to the orbiting inspection booth. “Purpose of visit?” “Just vacation,” Gryxad said. “And letting the critters run around a bit.” “Critters?” “About 50 humans, a few canines and bovines.” “Length of stay?” Gryxad exchanged…
The Gift That Keeps on Aggravating
The Gift That Keeps on Aggravating I was so used to the fairy pigs that I forgot to tell my cousin visiting for Christmas. He woke up to his robe gone and two misshapen sacks by his bed. I rushed in at his cry of shock. “Wow, what beautiful shoes!” I exclaimed. “Listen,” I whispered,…
Just Trying to Help
Just Trying to Help I was sitting incognito on the beach when a cry went up from a woman holding a distraught baby. “Help, he’s lost his stuffie.” Nobody cared. I went over, keeping my sun hat low. “What happened?” “It’s his favorite toy, an alligator. He’ll be crushed.” Fine, I’d help. I took off…
The Restaurant on Top of the World
The Restaurant on Top of the World On aesthetic grounds, I was sad there was a restaurant on the summit of Mount Fuji. Spoiling nature and all that. Practically, I was overjoyed to sit down in the warmth after climbing seven hours. “How do you get the food up here?” I asked. “My daughter carries…
Flower Flirt
Flower Flirt Everything online is AI now. You can’t find love in that environment. You need old school. Very old school. A 3D-printed bouquet of flowers arrives at my door, each petal perfectly recreated in polymer. I open my FlowerFlirt app and scan it. -Pink Rose: 10”, 4 leaves, 8 thorns -Peony: 9.5”, no leaves…
It’s Not the End of the World
It’s Not the End of the World The pool water felt cool, the soft lapping probably the last sound I’d ever hear. It was okay. I’d had a good run. We all had. The horizon blossomed as a second sun seemed to descend. If the estimates were right, the shock wave would hit in ten…
Tete-a-Tetris
Tete-a-Tetris This is an odd story, I’ll admit, but I like to be experimental sometimes. I was wondering what it would be like to work inside a game of Tetris. By the way, for the word count, I counted each block image as a word. 🙂
The Green-Walled Treehouse 