Christian A. Brown is the readers’ choice in this week’s Indies Unlimited Flash Fiction Challenge.
The winning entry is rewarded with a special feature here today and a place in our collection of winners which will be published as an e-book at year end.
Without further ado, here’s the winning entry:
photo by K.S. Brooks
Time and Tide
by Christian A. Brown
The moment is suspended, timeless. My heartbeat is rattling my teeth. My heart would leap right out if it could. Right to Andy. Behind my brother — this waifish, golden boy who cannot be — is a dazzle of water and sky that is quite ugly compared to his light. For Andy is radiant; light bleeds from behind his grin and eyes as if he has swallowed a mystery. I know then, that this is not entirely him. I take a step back as his voice, broken and wise — not a child’s, not his own — says my name.
“Paul.”
“Who are you? What are you?”
Andy frowns. There is no easy explanation, it seems.
“Are you an angel?”
He shakes his head. The sky suddenly blackens. We are cast into shadow. How dark he now looks; his light is gray.
“A devil?”
Andy shrugs; this does not fit, either.
Perhaps the clouds are conflicted as well; they rumble with the sickness of thunder. People are running and screaming like hens before a storm. I should be worried about what they fear. Instead, I have a fitting memory: Andy and I, as muddy fools chasing chickens on our father’s farm. An inappropriate smile finds me in the chaos.
Andy smiles too, and offers me his hand. “It’s falling apart. I need your help to fix it, Paul.”
Enough of his sly, sweet charm belongs to the boy whose picture hangs in my memory. I take his hand and he leads me away.
Great short story. 🙂
Thanks Yvonne! I would return the compliment (sans the “short” part), since I’ve been picking through the previews of your work 🙂 I have a feeling I will bite the bullet on BFC tomorrow; paperback, as epics are meant to be read!
Very impressive vote percentage (53%). Your entry helped showcase the weekly flash fiction competition – nice job!
Keep writing interesting stories, and help spread the word.
Thanks, Dick. Honestly, we would have had more traffic, and voters for everyone, if I had sounded the social media alarm earlier–I found this week unusually distracting with work and a rather gruesome news cycle. Forgot about the contest until Thursday morning! I have since put IU on Twitter-alert, and even if I’m not submitting a Flash Fiction entry, I’ll be sure to Facebook and share the link.
Effortless and beautiful – I’m so envious! Congratulations on a well-deserved win. 🙂