Use the photograph above as the inspiration for your flash fiction story. Write whatever comes to mind (no sexual, political, or religious stories, jokes, or commentary, please) and after you PROOFREAD it, submit it as your entry in the comments section below.
Welcome to the Indies Unlimited Flash Fiction Challenge. In 250 words or less, write a story incorporating the elements in the picture at left. The 250 word limit will be strictly enforced.
Please keep language and subject matter to a PG-13 level.
Use the comment section below to submit your entry. Entries will be accepted until Tuesday at 5:00 PM Pacific Time. No political or religious entries, please. Need help getting started? Read this article on how to write flash fiction.
On Wednesday, we will open voting to the public with an online poll so they may choose the winner. Voting will be open until 5:00 PM Thursday. On Saturday morning, the winner will be recognized as we post the winning entry along with the picture as a feature.
Once a month, the admins will announce the Editors’ Choice winners. Those stories will be featured in an anthology like this one. Best of luck to you all in your writing!
Entries only in the comment section. Other comments will be deleted. See HERE for additional information and terms. Please note the rule changes for 2018.
Norm
He was quite a fellow, Norm. We all remember his various runs for public office. Not sure if he ever really wanted to win. Said he did. You pretty much have to let the people know that you’re serious about the democratic process.
That first effort…back in 92 if I remember right. Running for city dogcatcher and he wowed us. Okay, maybe he slightly confused us with dressing up as a big fuzzy tabby and wearing that slogan around his neck: Vote Norm-He’s No Dog in The Manger.
I remember telling him that he certainly wowed me and he replied that that was what he wanted but he said also that I should call it bow-wowed…
Around that time, Norm opened his Pets Emporium. Joined the Chamber of Commerce. Ran for President. Wore a cattle head. Slogan read Norm Will Not Be Cowed.
Came in third.
After that, he ran for every position up for grabs. City Council. School Board. Dog Catcher at least one more time.
Always with an appropriate animal outfit.
Then he settled on a Giant Cheetah.
All the time.
He kind of disappeared into that simian persona after that.
He’d pop up everywhere dressed in that outfit.
His ape costume.
Sadly, fell on hard times.
Lost his business.
Marge left.
Took the kids.
Wally and Jane.
Lived hand to mouth.
Entertained us over the years.
Panhandling.
The monkey costume got pretty ratty.
So we’re here to say goodbye to a memorable town character.
Farewell, Buddy.
It’s called taking refuge in audacity.
Normally, if you want to avoid being noticed, you try to be as unremarkable as possible. But sometimes that’s just not possible.
Like when you’re trying to hide an ogre in the middle of Chicago until the next full moon, when the gate to fairie reopens. Any effort to mask or conceal that distinctive facial structure is just going to draw attention to it. Then you’ll have questions for which there can be no acceptable answers.
Instead, you make no effort whatsoever to conceal, instead focusing on emphasis to the point of being outrageous. Given how many conventions the Windy City gets, it wouldn’t be that difficult to convince everyone they were just seeing another cosplayer with particularly good makeup and facial prosthetics.
At least that was our plan – and it almost worked. Except for one problem – the gate is in Lincoln Park, right by the famous Lily Pool. Which meant we had to go during daylight hours, since I had no desire to risk getting caught sneaking in at night.
We were within a block of the park entrance when someone took a little too close of look and realized no, that was no cosplay. Now the hue and cry is up and our only hope is a mad dash, pell-mell through a crowd.
And even if I can get our unwitting visitor safely home, I have to stay behind and face the music.
It was their first day out of the dense forest.
Their days of hiding and trying to duck all the searchers looking to discover them were over.
Ugh had been considering his options and this one seemed like it just might work.
Bah wasn’t that sure, but it was either go with Ugh or be left behind for who knows how long.
Maybe being discovered would give them a nice place to sleep, with meals on a regular basis.
Nobody seemed to be paying them any attention, and they could finally feel free and hugged each other. Even her scream of delight didn’t draw a response.
*.*.*
Unbeknownst to them, a woman was trying to determine the brand of the strange perfume.
A man covered his nose and mouth and considered whether he had sh*t his pants again.
The couple closest to them – she wondered what it would be like to have a husband with that much hair.
Another bystander noticed her long nails, and gave some thought to asking where she had them done.
A young girl noticed their costumes and thought about next Halloween.
A photographer, filming the locals for a newspaper article, caught the sight and couldn’t believe her eyes, quickly taking a picture. Her story last week was about the number of people moving out of the area. Her next story nobody is going to believe, but hopefully the picture will help.
She wondered whether her future assignment would involve the recent UFO sightings.
For Editor’s Choice Only
“Well, Dean certainly has chutzpah, I’ll give him that,” Heather whispered under her breath as she and Sally watched him hug his old flame, Lorraine, outside the Saddle-Up Bar and Grill before the big game was about to begin Sunday afternoon.
“The guy’s got a real ‘set’ on him, all right,” Sally deadpanned.
“Oh, yeah. And to think he had the gall to accuse of her of cheatin’ on him last weekend when he got hammered, stumbled all himself like a stupid oaf, spilled beer on her, and, after passing out in her arms, left her standing alone on the dance floor in front of everyone.”
“What I really loved was the part where he finally sobered a bit later that night and ranted about her letting Rod drive her home.”
“You mean that little scene where he grunted at her: ‘You really shud go home wid da guy who brung you to da dance,’ ” Heather chuckled, aping Brian by swinging her arms from side to side, moving her shoulders up and down, and speaking in a low, street-slang voice.
The women laughed so hard they almost blew beer out their noses.
“It’s not funny,” Sally finally said, wiping tears from her eyes. “But hey, if you can’t have a little fun at a friend’s expense, who can you abuse?”
Breaking News: Millionaire Mike on Chewelah Main Street…
It’s true. It’s really him. If you’re currently within 30 minutes of Main Street, I’d advise you to drive, hike, run, fly or cycle your way to the Retail Park in Chewelah. For anyone who’s not aware, or if you’re from Mars, Millionaire Mike is crisscrossing the state today, visiting every Westside Pizza in the city and handing out cash to anyone who can identify him. Of course, he’ll be in disguise – you know he never makes it easy – so you’ll just have to take your chances and body-hug every man, woman or child who looks a little strange.
Even Mary Jane Jones who’s got the beard and blue eyebrows.
–
Urgent newsflash. Hot off the press.
We’ve had our first sightings and… wait for it… Mike has been seen at El Ranchito, Mammoth Automotive and the Abundant Life Fellowship. Everyone can guess where he’s heading, of course, so hurry downtown now and grab yourself a slice. You could get lucky and get the Big Kahuna – the least you can get is the Habanero Wings, drizzled in honey.
–
Extra. Extra. Extra. Latest tips and warnings.
We’ve just had an urgent call from Mark Burrow at the police department. Apparently, Gorilla Gordon’s on the loose. He’s busted out of his cage at the city jail, and now he’s back on the street, but he’ll not be handing out cash.
Not even if you give him the phrase that pays…
For Editor’s Choice Only
Have your fingernails become too dull to scratch that itch? Do you have to use a fork to get that much needed relief… the wrong end of a spoon to clear those clogged nostrils? Do you need a number 6 Philips screwdriver to scrape the gunk out of your ears? Creatures of the Night, how about your talons? Are they so blunted that to bring down your last victim, you had to use a rock? Well, come on over to:
Miss Claudia’s Nail Emporium and Plumbing Supply
(Located next to the Tasty Whip at North Hills Mall.)
“Miss C” will use her year of training and her vast month of experience to get those fingernails honed to razor sharpness, and those claws in first-rate shredding shape!
Eccentric Billionaire Hermits… Nails too mangled to scratch your manifesto on the walls of your secret cave? How ‘bout those toenails? Are they so curled you can’t wear your favorite Fuzzy Bunny Bunny Slippers™? Well, slip on your favorite tattered bathrobe and helicopter over to Miss Claudia’s Nail Emporium and Plumbing Supply, where you can land at the newly completed North Hills Mall Heliport, located atop the Strike Three Bowl-O-Rama!
Eccentric Billionaire Hermits Special! – 5% off when you join our Exclusive Scratch n’ Sniff Club!
Werewolves, Wolfmen, and Other Creatures of the Night, come see us during Miss Claudia’s’ Nail Emporium and Plumbing Supply’s Midnite Madness! You’ll be ripping n’ tearing in no time!!!
Hide in Plain Sight- The Enemy?
With all the ire, anger and frustration pouring out of every pore, I ordered an immediate meeting. Disappointment raged over with anger bubbling and brewing. I was about to explode!
Everyone assembled at roll call. I addressed the survivors, my friends and comrades from the top of a short flight of stairs. Taking a deep breath, I tried unsuccessfully to control my ire, but my gloved hand slapped onto the stair rail. Heads jerked swiftly upwards as I began, “Kay, our kind host has fed us well. She has cooked superb meals for so many. Tirelessly. Graciously. Freely. She has opened her Bakery to us like a family. Yet….”
Pausing, I looked around the group. Although the foolish twins had come to the meeting dressed like a Gorilla and Tarzan, they failed to drag a twitch of a smile onto my face.
“Damn! One of us has been stealing food. Why? The thief is hiding amongst us in plain sight. I need the thief to stop this foolishness.”
A middle aged woman crumpled into a sobbing mess onto the ground.
Shaking and crying, she began,“I stole. I hid the food. It is contaminated. Kay is drugging us into staying. Don’t you see? She is a government spy drugging us to stay, so she won’t be lonely ever again. As a spy, she does not want us to leave and search for other apocalypse survivors.”
A collective moan whispered!