As Perry rightfully said of last week's words, so tonight I'm more carefully considering the flexibility of words while staring at the spines of books in my To Be Read pile.
And while I know exactly what he meant, I detected
little constraint in this week's offerings, and Perry's 'Omen' a superb demonstration of how to overcome.
Words for the coming week: hammer hide liar
Entries by midnight Thursday 22nd
April, new words posted Friday 23rd
Usual rules: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash fiction or
poetry using all three words above in the genres of horror, fantasy, science
fiction or noir. Serialised fiction is, as always, welcome. All variants and
uses of the words and stems are fine. Feel free to post links to your stories
on Twitter or Facebook or whichever.
Thank you so much. It wasn't a criticism, just an acknowledgement of the challenge which everybody so eloquently met.
ReplyDeleteWhich - 'acknowledgement' - was exactly how I took it, Perry, but I was aware I'd probably selected them with a little less proper attention than usual. (And sometimes getting the balancing between useful and challenging isn't always obvious.) That said, choosing them is a perk of the job!
DeleteCongrats, Perry! Your entry was an excellent choice for top honors.
DeleteWhew - good to be able to confirm. My Apergers gets ahead of me sometimes.
DeleteThanks, jd - it's a healthy tussle to get there. So many high quality entries.
congrats, Perry!
DeleteDiscount Shrink
ReplyDeleteRoxy held the revolver on her husband. “Nowhere to hide, Joe. Lipstick on the wineglass says it all.”
“It must be yours.”
“Not my shade.” She pulled back the hammer, for emphasis.
“By the way,” Joe said. “Mark called today. Hung up when I answered. Has he not heard of caller ID?”
“He’s probably arranging a playdate with the kids.”
“Then why hang up?”
“Cheater!” Roxy said.
“Liar!” Joe said.
The councilor cleared her throat and Roxy lowered the gun. “I’m afraid that’s all the time we have for today. We’ll meet again Tuesday. And please leave the gun home.”
I think I've heard of that couples therapy firm - Smith and Wesson isn't it?
DeleteNothing like stating the obvious, not that these two have a problem communicating.
DeleteWhat a clever twist at the end, John. Just like you.
Deleteoh smart one, John!
DeleteHow clever, John. You really dropped the hammer with your last paragraph. A very good read!
ReplyDeleteGREEN EYES
ReplyDeleteThe foundling picked her way through the rubble to investigate the holly, whiskered coterie intently watching.
Suddenly Joanie realised that the toddler’s path came out directly on top of her.
On top of her.
That liar Colm swore he liked her – and there he was choosing that … stranger.
Joanie was older than Caolin – and a woman – so she was much more mature along those lines.
Her heart had been hammering blood into her head as she’d led the group, and she’d really needed space.
Look where THAT had got her.
Joanie cursed herself and cast about for somewhere to hide.
Yet another off-beat, mind-stretching, teasing episode.
DeleteThank you Sandra- I was starting to worry that this one was offensive - or just rubbish.
DeleteNo matter the world one lives in, there are always matters of the heart. Nice one, Perry.
Delete'heart hammering blood' = a great turn of words, Perry.
DeleteI think you'd find it hard to write rubbish, Perry, this is a good one this week, as Sandra said, mind stretching. Always a good thing.
DeleteThe Assassin’s Apprentice
ReplyDelete“So you take the needle and hide it in a tube of toothpaste. Then you glue the foil back onto the nozzle and screw on the lid. That way you can smuggle it in.”
“What kind of toothpaste?”
“I don’t know. Colgate, I suppose.”
“I prefer Arm and Hammer.”
“The brand doesn’t matter.”
“It’s the texture.”
“Are you even listening?”
“Yes.”
“Liar!”
“If I used a tube of hand sanitizer it would be more hygienic.”
“Jesus! Would you please just focus on the on matter in hand!”
“Well, I’m not going to learn anything if you shout at me.”
LOL Love it. I've tutored people like that.
DeleteTime to re-assess his choice of assassin methinks.
DeleteWith a great title, greatness is sure to follow. Very entertaining, David.
DeleteLike Sandra, I believe this assassin is in need of a new assistant. This one should be more conscious of his boss's occupation.
Deletelovely dialogue spelling out an unlovely activity here... captured in so few words.
DeleteThe Secret Armadillo Soldier (SAS) Diaries - entry 141
ReplyDeleteThe sound and scent of Sarg’s return filtered in from the tunnel outside. ‘Liar I ain’t , but I didn’t tell em ‘zactly what they’re doing, that’s between us fer now,’ she puffed, poking her snout into the burrow, ‘less knowin’ the plans, the better.
‘ ‘alf a platoon’s ‘eaded to burial-burrows an’ got diggers diggin’ easy-exit tunnels fer ‘ere, plus sum hidden surprises fer unwelcome visitahs.’
She paused, looked at Pink-Fairy crouched like a small pebble beside Atlas, then looked the big ‘dillo in the eye.
Atlas changed the position of his hammer and calmly waited for orders.
Loved "crouched like a small pebble" and the sweaty tension of this.
DeleteIt appears that Sarg has things well in hand. We'll see, I trust.
DeleteI liked how Sarg's scent preceded her into the burrow. But then, when the characters all possess snouts, that's to be expected. A tidy little tale here, Terrie.
Deleteyou bring everything to life, Terrie, week in week out. The novel must be coming on well, yes???
DeleteSo - got an offer for the movie yet? Be a waste if not.
ReplyDeleteConsidering their solitude in burrows, the title might be Who Shares Sins or Qui audet adipangolin in a nod to the potential extinction of their uncle.
Delete...or had you already pinged that title?
DeleteInheritance
ReplyDelete'Be'ave thysel', lass else I'll hammer thee!'
Oft-growled threat of my father.
Oft enough carried out –
His fists provoking my shout –
drowning the pleas of my mother.
She died as I entered my womanhood,
offering a liar's apology
having decided it vital to hide
wickedness she'd death-bed denied
knowing he used more than his fists to assault me.
WOW!
DeleteWell, Sandra, that was as dark as dark can be and so well done. One of the best things I think I've read here.
DeleteThank you both.
DeleteDemented cruelty oozes from this, Sandra. So well done.
Deletecruelty and resignation too, that 'this is what it is' reaction. Stunning.
DeleteChange of focus [422 ]
ReplyDeleteWhile Henry Moth proved himself possessed of all the requisite skills of a diplomat (i.e. a liar who smiled while charming his victim owner into believing his badly-mauled holly hedge would swiftly recover from assault by machete and hammer) – the extracted body – a woman – was laid on a sheet of white plastic. A blizzard of holly scratches suggested raspberry-striped ice-cream (male observers keeping quiet on the subject of jam sponge puddings) and it was not until she was turned, on Edwin Rudd's orders, that the bloody scalpel-scratched message could be read in its entirety: 'YOUR A BITCH WHO CANT HIDE'
And - urk! Skinful sequel to an accidental character.
DeleteWhoa! This gal really pissed someone off! I'd stay clear of neighborhood holly hedges.
DeleteI do show enjoy the name Henry Moth. There's nothing like a body on a white sheet with scapel scratched messages to set a proper tone. Loved the "your."
Deleteyes, Henry Moth as a name conjures up all sorts of images, while the sheer nastiness of the holly scratches sends the imagination in other equally nasty directions. You're having a somewhat savage week, Sandra!!
DeleteINDIGNATION
ReplyDeleteAs I reviewed what was meant to be a complimentary comment, I noted that one need not be an epitome of erudition to spot that that liar, autocorrect, was being a smartarse.
Yes, I had visions of bursting my shirt like Hollywood Hogan (I feel The Hulk beyond me), hunting down its irritating little anthropomorphism wherever it chose to hide, and hammering the entity into a smear of … whatever … before sitting back with a coffee and a fresh T shirt to watch undefined vital juices meander along the impurities of the Formica.
“SKINFUL sequel” indeed. I bloody well typed skilful.
Hand on heart, I can assure you I'd not had a skinful by 4 o'clock on a Friday afternoon. (And, in truth, did not suspect the same of you.)
DeleteThe middle paragraph of this, Perry, bursts with a wealth of smooth, entertaining language. Well done!
DeleteLOL, Sandra. Unfortunately not - of any time zone - autocorrect is incorrect to accuse me so.
DeleteThanks, jd. I try. :D
Who of us hasn't wanted to hammer on autocorrect? You did this well.
Deleteauto correct drives me insane. Our hammer is in the toolbox out of sight. It needs to stay that way...
DeleteFESSING UP
ReplyDelete“So, you killed him, and with a hammer no less.”
“Who said I killed him?”
“You did. You said so in your signed confession.”
“I did?”
“Yes, you did.”
“Well, who said I killed him with a hammer?”
“Uh… you did, in your signed confession.”
“In my signed confession, did I confess to killing anyone other than him?”
“No, but did you?”
“Would I hide such a thing from you?”
“I don’t know. Would you?”
“Would you believe me if I said I didn’t?”
“I don’t know. Should I?”
“I wouldn’t.”
“Oh, and why is that?”
“Because I’m a liar.”
This is brilliantly done.
DeleteDeliciously funny.
DeleteSharp and well-observed.
DeleteBeautiful, James.
Deletevery funny! good one, Jim!!
DeleteBe careful what you wish for [Threshold 345]
ReplyDeleteNot headlight.
A vicious crack immediately succeeded by a portentous series of heavenly rumblings told me it was thunderstorm.
I'd struggled more to differentiate between 'liar' and 'story-teller' when my mother tried to tell me the noise was being made by Thor's hammer; the lightning sparks from its clash against the metal of his anvil.
Wondered why my claims that damage had been caused by someone else (when 'damage' was as various as a broken cup or love-bites disappearing below the edge of my dress) invariably fell into the 'deceitful' category.
My best chance now to pray for further lightning.
That she would call them love bites suggests there may be a bit of damage. Or maybe she likes it a little on the rough side. An enjoyable read, Sandra.
DeleteAnd there's times one should not become an interlocutor about a hinter Loki tour.
ReplyDeleteso much covered in so few words.
DeleteJoys of Mediumship no 51
ReplyDeleteSometimes ‘joy’ is the right word, sometimes I would be a liar if I said it was all roses, times when I would prefer to hide but am aware of a room full of people watching, sometimes talking and me not able to hear them – yet. It will be a hammer blow to my brain when I do hear them, learning not to respond aloud to anything said when there are humans present… but overall, the joy is worth it, Today I got to feel the intense joy from George Floyd, my black angel, as he describes himself.
I imagine your gift has its ups and downs. Well put, this.
DeleteStop The Week; I Want To Get Off (152)
ReplyDeleteI was, to some degree, able to hide behind displays, stock, whatever, but our ‘new look’ shop, which we are busy changing and developing daily, will start with empty windows, so people can look through and see what we have. So there’s a hammer to bang in and take out nails, tacks and hooks for smoother walls… we’re excited about our new look, talking of waiting to see the Landlord’s face when he visits… we are seeing old customers once again out shopping which is good except that ‘have you had your jab?’ is now the first topic of conversation…
I note a distinct difference in your mood lately. A short time ago, you were more sullen and not as upbeat. Now, I detect positivity. I like it.
DeleteGood to hear the positiveness of activity in this, when you had feared the shop to be at an end.
DeleteThe Mad Italian 198
ReplyDeleteThe PM is using statistics to hammer home to the people that the virus has not gone but he is overlooking the fact that the people have had enough of being confined, kept from family, stopped from travelling. It is very likely that they would risk the virus to be with loved ones again. Any who refute this are liars hiding behind their own needs. This is a bad time, but you will all learn to live with it, eventually. Meantime it would help if the leaders knew what stance they were actually taking… and stay with it!
Confusing times, deciding what to do, what to risk.
DeleteI fear we have no leaders on either sides of the pond.
Delete