Tag: writing exercise

George, the miller’s son, waited at the waterfall for the blue sprite to appear. He was sure she would be able to help him, or so the legends said.

As the sun finally crept behind the hill, dusk invited the first fireflies. George watched them with a sense of wonder, yet he also began to feel anxious. The fireflies danced in the air like yellow sparks, entrancing him. He did not know how much time had passed when he finally noticed one of the sparks was blue. He watched intently as the little blue light flashed and weaved about in the air.

With some trepidation, he asked in a soft and respectful tone, “Are you the blue sprite? I need your wisdom.”

A soft, feminine voice, barely audible over the sound of trickling water, answered, “I am she, but I must warn you that the help you seek is not always the help you get. Men are foolish in this way. If you ask anything of me, you must accept that what I advise will be for the best, even if it seems opposite your heart’s desire.”

George bit his lip. How could there be any help but for the money to pay the landlord?

Welcome to the Indies Unlimited Flash Fiction Challenge. In 250 words or less, write a story incorporating the elements in the picture and the written prompt above. Do not include the prompt in your entry. 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.

On Tuesday night, judges will select the strongest entries, and on Wednesday afternoon, 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. Then, at year end, the winners 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 2015.

The little flower had fallen off one of the cookies. Andrea stood and stared at the flawed little thing. In all other respects, it was the same as the other cookies. It just seemed so much more plain than the others.

It is different. It has given something up – perhaps its dreams or its youth. That cookie is the mother of the others.

She stood mesmerized by the thought. She felt a tug at her blouse.

“Mommy, I hafta go to the bathroom!”

Andrea sighed. “Just a second, sweetie. Miss? I’ll take that one.”

Just then Bruce came strutting around with the cart. “Hey sugar britches, we gotta go. The game will be on in a few minutes.”

As the woman behind the counter lifted the flawed cookie out, it broke. Andrea winced, then some little thing inside her broke, too. Bruce was definitely going to miss the game.

Welcome to the Indies Unlimited Flash Fiction Challenge. In 250 words or less, write a story incorporating the elements in the picture and the written prompt above. Do not include the prompt in your entry. 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.

On Tuesday night, judges will select the strongest entries, and on Wednesday afternoon, 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. Then, at year end, the winners 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 2015.

Whatever the things were that had been coming to McAllister’s farm and eating his chickens had been coming down this creek bed.

The little creek, if that’s what you could call it, had not been here a year ago. It formed after the quake. McAllister thought it had been the result of the quake. Now he suspected the quake had been a mere side effect of whatever had happened.

Those things – whatever they were – were not of this world; not of this time, anyway. It was as if some sort of portal had opened up. Now something was getting through from the other side.

From the shadows ahead, he could hear them, scurrying and trilling. Gooseflesh formed on his arms. McAllister took the safety off and stepped forward…

Welcome to the Indies Unlimited Flash Fiction Challenge. In 250 words or less, write a story incorporating the elements in the picture and the written prompt above. Do not include the prompt in your entry. 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.

On Tuesday night, judges will select the strongest entries, and on Wednesday afternoon, 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. Then, at year end, the winners 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 2015.

The toll of war is not always measured in the spilling of blood. There are struggles that embody something beyond nationalism and petty politics. They strike at the very foundation of civilization, the very meaning of life itself.

This war, however, began with a dispute over a snickerdoodle. Oh, if only there had been a pan of brownies instead. Brownies just make everything simpler.

The combatants were a very famous and well-loved little white terrier and an obscure mop-like character from a little-known children’s television show. One snickerdoodle – two mouths. Oh, the humanity!

Welcome to the Indies Unlimited Flash Fiction Challenge. In 250 words or less, write a story incorporating the elements in the picture and the written prompt above. Do not include the prompt in your entry. 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.

On Tuesday night, judges will select the strongest entries, and on Wednesday afternoon, 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 Friday afternoon, the winner will be recognized as we post the winning entry along with the picture as a feature. Then, at year end, the winners 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 2015.