Is one of the benefits of this weekly challenge, and this week all participants rose to it unerringly, despite the (aimed at) disparity of the prompt words.
This week, I don’t think any one will dispute my choosing Dave’s untitled confrontation between guard and prisoner as winner, since we were all impressed with it.
Words for the coming week: clock erupt unreal
Entries by midnight Thursday April 20th, new words scheduled Friday 21st
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.
Thank you
ReplyDeleteA well deserved choice for winner, Dave .
DeleteYou certainly deserved the top spot, Dave.
Deletegood one, Dave!
DeleteThank you everyone
Delete[Threshold 434
ReplyDeleteRaven straightened from examining his prostrate victim. Nodded to me then turned to the chorus, having heard what I’d taken to be a muttered eruption of imminent mutiny.
As I should’ve anticipated, his addressing them was confident. Self-justifying. And totally confounded me. Raising his voice but a little he announced, ‘As I told you earlier, upon the clock striking twelve, I am become your king. ‘She …’ He gestured to me, unsmiling, ‘This woman, is your queen.’
It all felt very unreal.
Even more so when, undermining the confident affection of his gaze, he whispered, ‘What IS your name?’
Ooh Sandra a not so subtle tease in the last line. Will we finally have a name for your leading lady ?
Deletedefinitely a tease nd so nicely done, dropped in at the end of the instalment. Nice one!!
DeleteRaven continues his confounding ways!
DeleteChange of focus [512]
ReplyDeletePhilly, as eager to dispel memories as Pettinger was unwelcome (and too well-informed) experiences of street-life, glanced up at the reception wall clock. Tutted. ‘Look at that time Aleks! It’ll have to be straight to bed for you, no time for tea –’
But Aleks already had her measure. With a grin – and directing a glance of silent (and astonishingly mature) “Women, eh?” to his father, leaving Pettinger with a sense of unreality, he refrained from the eruption of complaint she’d so clearly attempted to provoke, and turned to lead the way out of the door.
smart people coping with mores mart people: who's due for the top positiion here?
DeleteInteresting tug-of-war going on here.
DeleteThe Secret Armadillo Soldier (SAS) Diaries - entry 225
ReplyDeleteAtlas, squatted, watchfully, at the sentry-perimeter of camp. He shivered against the unusually chilly air filtering in from the east and viewed the ethereal, almost unreal, moon glittering in the brittle starkness of night sky; a myriad small movements heightening his awareness. The moth resting on a swaying buddleia bush, a bent and seeding dandelion-clock erupting in a flurry of breeze-blown fluff, the shadow of movement heralding an almost silent approach.
He sniffed the air and relaxed.
‘Thought yuh might like company,’ whispered Armi, settling beside him, ‘yuh know wot they say… “two snouts better’n one”, an all that.’
Such a skilfully - and poetically-rendered - scene, Terri
DeleteSo vivid... and how smoothly and nicely this flows along!
DeleteI love the natural way the animal world overlaps with the 'rea' world through the smart use of 'them' and 'us'
ReplyDelete17.07
ReplyDeleteThe strange digital clock erupted, showering everyone.
The scene was unreal. Each person impaled with a number. Chris was aware of something embedded in his head. His scalp felt numb. He watched the others trying in vain to remove their numbers and decided it wasn't worth the effort. In his reflection he saw the number 17.07 protruding from his skull. He blinked, trying to recall the significance of that particular time, guessing that the allotted task was for him to make a better decision than the one he had previously made one day at 17.07
An endlessly intriguing puzzle, for all concerned.
DeleteIt seems that remembering that day is going to prove unfortunate.
DeleteGood one, David!
ReplyDeletetry again.
ReplyDeleteAn insidious creeping life form has erupted somewhere around the edges of my mind and is busy taking over.all day to day happenngs, leaving me helpless and constantly repeating 'I don't remember'. It's true but it sounds like an excuse, This unreal way of life is causing (first) an overload of how to do things, which promptly disappears and leads to (two) flat out arguments and put-upon ieople who are trying to help but for this condition there is no escape - there is a long path to walk feeling unreal whilst knowing it is real, there is no cure, no help. The waiting list at the hospital is TWO YEARS.... I promise to be here as often as I can, meantime send me a thought or two. Sometimes I can't find anything to write about. Sometimes our bodies and minds are our own enemies. Ny mind is so strongly
rooted in the weekly Challenge it is impossible to walk away.which is good for me
And so pleased to see you here - you've been much missed these past few weeks. And I easily identify with the mind/body tricks, just tell myself to keep on going. (Often easier said than done!)
DeletePlease keep trying, Antonia, and you shall overcome.
DeleteThe Secret Armadillo Soldier (SAS) Diaries - entry 226
ReplyDelete(Here's hoping my made up word is acceptable)
Moloch twisted to view his stump, ‘you’ll pay for that, you stinkin’ piece of coyote bait.’
Sarg’s laugh boomed in an unreal, mocking, echo out into the tunnel above, ‘Yer gonna lose more’n an arm an’ tail when I'm done, so stop yer clockerwodgerin’ an’ get on with it yuh flea-bitten gob-shite.’
With a shared yowl, his followers erupted toward the battle-stanced ‘Dillos.
The lead lizard leaped at Sarg but, dodging the clumsy reptile’s blow, she felled it with a death dealing claw-thrust and, with her free paw, swiped Moloch a savage blow to the head that sent him reeling.
One wonders if anything can successfully confront Sarge.
DeleteIrresistible, Terrie!
ReplyDeleteThe lights work, that’s something, not that anyone would see a flicker of light in the underground vault. Not that there was any money left and if they did… yes? What would they do?
ReplyDeleteIt’s what we’re going to do that matters. I used to dream of money fountains, coins erupting all over the place, printed notes fluttering everywhere… then truth is, the dream is unreal, so you have to go for it yourself. Freedom has not been included.
The ticking of the clock is unreal, our dreams are unreal. Who’d have thought they’d leave us last ones in here…
Who'd've thought indeed, but this could be the start of somethng intriguing.
DeleteLife is full of surprises - some real, some unreal. Nice, Antonia!
DeleteDREAMING?
ReplyDelete“Am I dreaming?” Robert Boice asked himself as his mind slowly cleared. He blinked and found himself in a line of people. Ahead, a huge glowing clock devoid of hands stared at them through the darkness.
A flurry of emotions erupted within him: confusion, doubt, disbelief, fear… swirling about his mind like a swarm of startled snakes. Fact? Fiction? Truth? Falsehood? Real? Unreal? What was he dealing with?
The handless clock chimed. The man in front of him stepped forward… and disappeared.
Robert was pulled forward by something unseen.
“Am I dreaming?” he asked himself as the clock again chimed.
A clock 'devoid of hands' so simple an image but curiously unsettling, Jim
Deletethank you, Sandra! That has made my week. It was so difficult to come up wi th somethng, until I thought abiut the newly closed NatWest... yes there is more to e found there and I will go write it very soon!
ReplyDeleteI got carried away - The letters went out, I know, I got one, ten days Is all you have to pay in your savings, get a new cheque book, boost the bank account… say goodbye to the stiff necked counter staff. Did someone say the demulcent was kit for all of us to use? Probably not, they snatched all they could to stock up the posh branch in Newport. They didn’t think anyone would get left behind in the cold echoey scary and a bit lonely vaults but no one checked, they didn’t think anyone would come to work on the last day… but someone did and we were nosying and the huge door swung shut when we were safe inside and now we’re heading for starvation and arguments and sharing out of the money left behind…
ReplyDeletenow tell me, because there's not much else to do anyway, who grabbed a diamond necklace as we passed the safe depositi boxes - and who left the security staff breathing stale to neutral.air while we removed the jewellery fast and easy from - transformed the riches from the poories which completely decorates the stupid who bought a connection and a bit of seemingly fit to work - safe deposit book and contents book look at that, much more fun, surely.and now the legs grow weary 'kindky remove yoursef!' snapped a doorman I vaguely recognised recigised. from the scheming company who said it was easy for real...
ReplyDeleteand I ak myself, who would reset iour instalmnts when the batteries ran out?
Delete