Wow, you guys took a very dark turn this week!
Here are the entries that stood out to me.
NLiu
The corpse washed in with the evening tide and berthed on the hardcore spit: an incongruous, deliquescing monster.
Barnet wept for joy. Home was a frigid cell, spouse and child lost to the iron winter. But here was meat, oil. Even the bones would sell. Silver and heat for a few days’ butchery.
He hacked and wrestled. Blood froze on his oilskins.
But his hands met – how could this be? The torn monster gushed, birthed a fishtail, slippery and warm. And a mer-child smiled in his arms. Tiny fingers closed round his. Her eyes were an ocean; his heart, becalmed.
Stunning work of imagination.
Tim Lowe
Two detectives survey the murder scene.
“Sweet suite.”
“Why groom this particular groom?”
“He’s a Baron.” The first detective examines the broad axial symmetry of the blood spatter on the wedding bed. “Her third marriage. Barren.”
“You’re kidding. No kids?”
“Gave birth a wide berth. What happened to the second husband?”
"Dishonorable discharge. He illegally discharged his weapon.”
The first detective plucks an eagle-shaped pin from the carpet.
The other grunts. “Seal of a SEAL.”
“Hard core, that corps. Murder weapon?”
“Battery with a battery.”
“The lobby sells D-cells!”
High-fiving, Detectives Homograph and Homophone depart to check the surveillance cameras.
I had to look up homograph, and I love learning new words.
S.D.King
“Happy Birthday. You’re gonna love these books!”
“Thanks. No spoilers. I haven’t read any of these.”
“Jane’s a heavy sleeper. Edward dies in the fire.”
“Don’t. I said no spoilers.”
“Yosarrian loves the corps. Montag resells the books on eBay and Jose Arcadio names his kid George.”
“Why’re you doing this? I’ve given you a wide berth, but this is mean.” (Fingers in ears) “LA LA LA LA”
“Hester never gave birth. Moby was an albacore tuna. Hercule’s little cells were purple.”
“Stop! You know better!”
“Then you stop telling me who gets sent home on Great British Baking Show.”
I was kinda pleased with myself that I could spot most of the "spoilers."
And yes, DEATH to people (notably on Twitter) who spoil the results of the GBBS!
Steve Forti
At birth life’s a gift. Everything’s new, but it’s scary.
At five, those core pillars of you start to form.
At twelve, it’s sex cells and meiosis to study. Each day a new lesson.
Eighteen the corps calls, citing duty and honor. You listen, you’re brave, you can kill the Others.
Twenty-one. Maybe. You’re angry, alone. Hungry and broke, but you remember that lesson: sex sells.
Twenty-three. Desperate for that feeling when life had axial rotation, something to base your world around. Then you feel the swell in your belly.
At birth life’s a gift. Everything’s scary, but it’s new.
Nice twist!
And honestly, I'm getting a complex about how nimbly Mr. Forti thwarts me.
KAClaytor
“You got a corpse for sale?”
Corey didn’t look up. He’d had to dismember the guts of yet another, this one evidently the result of fire.
“The sign outside says, ‘C. Ellsworth, Necromancer’,” the man continued
“Neuromancer,” Corey replied, setting down the burnt-out CPU, before looking at the man in the doorway. He was giant, with a dent in his face as though he’d been dropped at birth. “Dude, this is the IT department.”
“There’s no dead people?”
“Who sells dead people!”
“I was told I couldn’t come back without one,” the man replied. “I guess you’ll have to do.”
Nice twist!
KL Sullivan
From his cushy berth aboard his soon to be repo’ed luxury 757, he hatched a plan.
It was the birth of a tremendous idea, phenomenal. Greater than Einstein, Newton, all those geniuses.
There will be abs of steel, core strength like you wouldn’t believe. Heroic poses. They’ll lap it up. Esprit d’corps and red meat for his millions, with millions for him. They’ll all be on their cells shouting you gotta get some of these before he sells them all!
Digital NFTs at 99 bucks a pop? It’s bigger than the entire Earth turning on its adaxial.
Nice topical reference.
What I find hugely amusing about this whole thing is that DT licensed his name and "likeness" to the company that made these "trading cards." DT may have gotten a nice upfront fee and a cut of the proceeds, but some clever entrepreneur is raking in the bucks. Although I do like the idea it's a money laundering scheme too. I think I read too much crime fiction.
Beth Carpenter
Harry started the autoclave. “It could work, but where would I get the raw materials?”
Maisy repositioned a slide under her microscope. “You could collect them from a corpse, or from afterbirth.”
“Ick.”
“Baby.” She checked another slide. “How about the amber theory? Fossil bone marrow and all that.”
“Sounds hard.”
She snorted. “Are you trying to be funny?”
“I’ll try harder next time. Any other bright ideas?”
Maisy produced a business card. “If you’re willing to spring for 2000 units, try her.”
“Sally Schwann. Biotech supplies? She can get what I need?”
“Absolutely. Sally sells T-cells by the C-score.”
ohhh ouch Beth!!!
Great wordplay though!
So, who did I overlook?
Let me know in the comments column.
12 comments:
Who did you overlook? Mine of course! I jest. As soon as I read the other entries I knew I was bested this week. I was particularly impressed with Mr. Lowe's. Love the wordplay--Sharkey's choice of words invited it, and he responded to the invitation exquisitely. Great work Tim, and everyone else!
Also giving a thumbs up to Tim Lowe. I'm always a sucker for the ones who make me laugh. But for overlooked, calling attention to Nate Wilson's clever flipped expected use of the prompts.
As usual, I'm glad I'm not the one picking a finalist or a winner.
After I read the entries, I thought, boy, I wish I had that much talent.
Tim's and NLiu's both stuck out.
Seriously, Mer-children!? It has been years since I last saw one.
And Tim's use of homophones matches the theme of the contest.
And now I feel guilty for not looking up "homograph."
Dammit, now I'll be up all night wondering where I misplaced my dictionary.
Good luck, everyone.
Nice stories.
These were all so fun to read.
I loved NLiu’s mer-child, and Madeleine Mora-Summonte’s story gave me the chills.
Super thrilled to make it to the finalists' list! Thanks for all the nice words. I'll admit Claire McKenna's Monstrous Heart was the main inspiration. Although, that had no mer-babies. Not sure where they came from. Maybe blame my seven-year-old?
Steve Forti's was my fave. So deft and clever, and I enjoyed the circularity of the story, where at the end everything is the same but also completely changed HOW DID YOU DO THAT IN 100 WORDS?!
Overlooked? Nate Wilson's. The "wrong" pairings of the prompt words were super fun.
This—entries of this caliber—is why I've only entered twice. I struggle with flash fiction. TBH I would rather write a 90,000 word novel, or even the synopsis for one. But I simply LOVE reading the entries on this blog. Such talent! I really enjoyed KAClaytor's entry,too. NLiu's was just gorgeous.
I loved this week's entries. There were so many good ones! But Tim Lowe's is definitely my favorite.
Missed another contest :( Have only read Janet's picks and wowzers! they are fabulous. Great work everyone.
What great reads! And I'm also liking Tim Lowes. Although Beth's also grabbed my funnybone with that reference to a childhood tongue twister.
Janet - thank you for the contest. My writing muscles needed the workout. :)
My two picks are NLiu's and Steve Forti's.
Luralee - I appreciate the mention! :)
Steve and NLiu, thanks for the mention. (I figured my story wouldn't measure up, but hoped the wordplay might merit a mention.)
A lot of strong ones this week, but my favorites were from Tim Lowe and KAClayton.
I make it a point not to read any of the entries before attempting to write one of my own. I broke that rule a few months ago and, based on how good they were, decided not enter. I did it again yesterday - broke my rule and read the entries, then said, "Nope. Not gonna bother." HA! Good stuff, you all.
Such smart writing from so many - but I'm going with Tim Lowe.
Post a Comment