Evenings lighter later; mornings woken by the sun. And leaves are bursting out all over. Happens every year, and every year it thrills.
With the Prediction we get a selection of new thrills
every week and, as so often happens, each succeeding post has me thinking 'This
will be the one that comes top this week' only to find the next one is even better.
This week it was like skittles in reverse, the ditsy lunacy
of Antonia's 'Interpretation' and
its undercurrent of coercion truly unsettling and finally leaving the others
colourfully spinning.
Entries by midnight Thursday 28th April new words posted Friday 29th April
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.
Congrats Antonia! Very clever use of trepan. :)
ReplyDeletethank you, Sandra!
ReplyDeletethings must be coming alive in a long dead section of the brain! (now look what I've started for myself... Skullface Chronicles, anyone? (brilliant book, ads it happens... LOL!)
Yours was a fine #1 choice, Antonia!
DeleteYes, well done Antonia, I always look forward to your weekly offerings.
ReplyDeleteRhyme-Time Gazette
ReplyDeleteIssue 4
Diligent police working on murder case uncover second body at suspects home.
Victims identified as diminutive bricklayers, Paul and Peter Dickey.
Update - Dr Forster in maniacal rant: ‘I couldn’t stand my chirpy housemates, Paul and Peter, or their constant building and mending walls with bloody noisy power-tools.
It was easy to kill the proverbial two little dickey-birds with one stone. My trepanning tool did the job wonderfully,’ he confesses in stomach-churning exclusive with on the spot reporter, Peter Piper.
Breaking news - Tight-lipped farmer at centre of pie fiasco, old McDonald, woken at midnight by devastating hen-house blaze.
Just wanted to say I am LOVING these "Rhyme-Time Gazette" tales. So creative and amusing. Great job.
DeleteI'm wondering how easy it would be to trepan a bird's skull!
DeleteYour marvelously creative mind shines yet again, Terrie!
DeleteI agree with Patricia, amusing and creative are definitely the words to use for this series. :) Loved the phrase 'Tight-lipped farmer at centre of pie fiasco.'
Deletesome things are meant to come into exsitence, this series is one of them!
DeleteChange of focus [469]
ReplyDeleteEventually, persuaded by the diligent Ben Brickwood – same rank but greater powers of authority, and tact enough to quell churning disgruntlement – the desk sergeant accepted Aleks was DI Pettinger's Khakbethian-born son. He was less inclined to trust the goldfinch flutter of Philly Stepcart's eyes.
For one, she was a well-known journalist. For two, surely John Pettinger had too much sense to want to lumber himself with a wife? And for three, he was sure he'd once arrested her for soliciting. Nerving himself to ask her – quietly: he could do tact too – she answered, 'Twice. I turned you down both times.'
Loved the phrase 'goldfinch flutter of Philly Stepcart's eyes' and the interaction between the desk sergeant and Philly. Hah with that final line!
Deletelovely put down line!
DeletePhilly Stepcart seems the perfect partner for Pettitnger. She's feisty, no nonsense and keeps him on his toes. She manages situations brilliantly too.
DeleteDoubt not! [Threshold 393]
ReplyDeleteRaven's blackness, in the shadows of the quad bikes rendered him invisible. The acuteness of his diligence in observation enabled him to accurately recall the layout of the screw-thread cage; identify the weakest of our enemies. His sudden, ululating roar to strike terror into their hearts, sufficient for one to double-stripe himself with blood as he failed – twice over – to squeeze an escape between razor-sharp bars; the other to unintentionally power the rusty trepan drill through his thigh, churning, as he did so, flesh into bloody gobbets, the upward flight and scattering of which attracted vultures by the greedy dozen.
Seems as though Raven is making a bloody mess of things.
DeleteRaven's surprising rush and roar would be startling. I wish I wasn't imagining the devastation of that trepan drill though. :)
Deleteoh what gore and nastiness there is in this instalment - more to come, I have no doubt
DeleteOoh this made me wince. i could easily imagine the rusty tool drilling into Ravens thigh.
DeleteTHE WORM X: THE END
ReplyDeleteGork’s free hand frantically gripped an exposed root with power liberated by raging fear. A tentacle yanked violently on his captured wrist, and his bowels churned uncontrollably then loosed under the wet, ripping sound of his arm tearing free from its socket and sliding into the hole.
The rest of Gork quickly followed. His remaining arm was torn from the root, and he slid toward a frothing mouth like a slug on greased glass. His mind exploded then in a detonation of hopeless, unbridled certitude. As it fragmented, he clearly heard a voice.
“Diligence pays off, Gork… even for Worms.”
Should have expected more gruesomeness - this is very slickly done, Jim.
DeleteOk, definitely stomach churning than the drill in thigh in Sandra's piece above. :) Oof, excellent use of implied sounds in this to bring on multiple shudders.
DeleteI don't want to think about what that felt like, limbs being torn off and dragged into - ? that;s even scarier than going through the arm torn off bit...
DeleteI knew there was going to be a gruesome ending. The imagery was spot on and painted a perfect picture of the nastiness.
DeleteThe Secret Armadillo Soldier (SAS) Diaries - entry 187
ReplyDeleteBarely audible muttering filtered from the stoppered burrow as the power of Sargs voice carried through the stillness like stone.
‘If they resist after that,’ she paused and winked, ‘Kill the feckers.’
The muttering stopped abruptly.
The soldiers saluted diligently as she turned on her hind paws and marched away churning tunnel-dust in her wake. The sound of her voice faded with her movements, ‘Stay alert’ she reminded as she disappeared into the dark.
Surfacing at the westerly Base-Burrow exit, where a muted-moon hung in the dark bowl of sky, she went in search of her sentries.
Loved this episode, not least for the skilled use of the prompt words.
DeleteThis boss-lady Sarg is one tough cookie. I can't imagine anything messing with her.
DeleteSarg is a wonderful character. And I loved the phrasing of 'where a muted-moon hung in the dark bowl of sky.'
DeleteI thought that line was stunning too, Holly! It fits perfectly into this fascinating serial.
DeleteThe Secret Armadillo Soldier (SAS) Diaries - entry 188
ReplyDeleteArmi looked at Nigel,‘ that means they’re with us, right?’
Nigel nodded, ‘dunno how to deploy the fuzzy little beggahs tho; they got no power I kin see ‘cept churnin’ up the ground wiv them stubby legs of theirs.’
Armi chuckled then glanced to where Atlas, Cinereus and Tosca had gathered at the edge of the clearing. ‘Damn,’ he muttered, ‘the big fellah sure is diligent, hes bin giving the sign every so often since he turned up’.
‘I seen 'im,’ said Nigel, ‘it’s time fer a quiet meeting away from the group.’ He motioned at Mossy to follow them.
Racks up the tension beautifully.
DeleteYes, I'm very curious about the quiet meeting that will take place next. Love the names in this. :)
Deletequiet meetings = danger for everyone, they'd best look out. Great instalment.
DeleteCome the Insurrection
ReplyDeleteThe aliens had overwhelming power, but the human surrender was a smokescreen.
As instructed the mayor hid the DNA of her fallen combat fighters in vials concealed inside an antique milk churn that had once belonged to her wife’s great grandmother. Different vessels were utilised in every town and city. It might be decades before it was safe to culture the clones. There would be a slow uprising.
Each day she would diligently travel to where the invaders had erected their silently brooding sentinel and spit her defiance onto its flawless obsidian surface.
Another episode for the potentially epic piece of work you are crafting, David. Wide in scope, delightful with detail.
DeleteSo creative... and a marvelous use of the prompts, David.
DeleteAn imaginative world. I'm looking forward to finding out more about the clones and how they will fight back.
DeleteI would be content to view the flawless obsidian surfaces if there was not some darkness indicated by their very being. Fascinating, David.
DeleteA wonderfully crafted offering,David. The prompt words simply melted into the writing.
DeleteSome Like it Hot [14]
ReplyDeleteThe horizon glares gold as we ride deeper into the mountains. I scrape my sweat-damp hair off my forehead and shade my eyes. It’s too bright to see past the jagged stone that curves around us like a massive ribcage. The unicorns diligently carry us forward, slowed by the sand churning beneath their hooves like spice-red butter.
“We’ll reach Lucifer’s Glen by sunset,” Felicia says, unaffected by the heat.
If Erd didn’t sneak past us, he’s likely there. “Let’s visit Lady Gray.” Though known for her powerful potions, Gray is also an unparalleled tracker.
Felicia grins. “Yes! She’s always fun.”
"The unicorns diligently carry us forward, slowed by the sand churning beneath their hooves like spice-red butter" so vividly sets the pace and scene.
Deletesetting the pace and the scene in one short piece is genius. This is perfect.
DeleteSo much to like in this Holly . Brilliantly done.
DeleteThank you, all!
DeleteSplendid opening paragraph, Holly... stunningly vivid images!
ReplyDeleteMemories…
ReplyDeleteVisiting family in ‘the country’ where geese were diligent sentinels on the village pond, where milk was churned into cream, regardless of weight we ate like starving creatures and admired the power of the old pump outside and how good the water tasted.
Memories of being in awe of the head cowman on the farm. someone the cows respected and how we wished we could have the magic words and sounds to call them –
At night, under the thatch, rustling birds and creepy insects, we would dream of that power and who we would remove…
Just kid talk…
This was so liltingly wonderful Antonia. Kind of Dylan Thomas-' esque'. I really enjoyed it.
Delete'Kid talk, kid memories, but warming and familiar.
DeleteA heartwarming scene. Loved imagining the geese as 'diligent sentinels on the village pond.'
DeleteThe Mad Italian
ReplyDeleteIt is time for due diligence to be shown in your Parliament, right now the nonsense is unbelievable, so much fuss over parties whilst others are starving and dying before your eyes, scenes strong enough to churn the stomach and make people wish they had the power to crush the would-be oppressors. War and insurrection is never acceptable, this one seems worse than those we have all seen over the years, the death of the 3 month old child has cut to the heart of everyone, I am told, whilst the marauders continues to devastate a land.
I really wish they could/would stop what's happening.
DeleteWhat a wonderful journey you take us on, Antonia!
ReplyDelete