FLASH-FIC IS HERE
PLEASE JOIN US EACH FRIDAY TO SEE WHO'S FLASHING US!
Each Friday a new prompt will be posted along with the previous week's winners.
What exactly is a Flash-Fic? It's pretty much a spur of the moment, tiny story, prompted by words, images or silliness. Not sure if you've ever been on twitter when this has happened, but it's pretty awesome when it does. It also happens often in threads, with a combination of people contributing.
How does it work? Each Friday one Admin of TLS posts a picture prompt here to the blog. Using this image, entries are created by commenting on this post. Submissions must be 100-300 words ONLY. No more, no less. The entries are then judged and we post the winners here, each Friday, to share with all of you.
THIS WEEK'S NEW PROMPT
You will have until next Wednesday at 9 p.m. EST to submit your entry.
Picture prompt and judge this week is Nicffwhisperer.
Please leave your submission in the comment section at the bottom of the post using this format:
- Your name (use your Twitter, Facebook or FFN name)
- Your link to your FFN profile if you choose to share it
- Submissions will be judged on Thursdays and on Friday the winning entry will be posted here, on the TLS blog.
This feature is open to everyone, so come one, come all!
LAST WEEK'S PROMPT AND WINNERS
FIRST PLACE WINNER
NAME itravelalone
WORD COUNT 255
I see you well enough. Your hair clashes horribly with the vibrant red of the star spangled banner wrapped around your shoulders as you hang out of the window as the carriage comes to a stop, but to me, you’ve never looked more handsome. Your smile is so, so brilliant, and it lights up my whole world, and I’m so in love with you I almost can’t breathe. You’re joking around with your mates, laughing and cursing as they pull you into the train by your feet and my heart flickers uncontrollably with impatience.
And as you step out of the car, your eyes meet mine and I just hope that deep, deep inside you, you love me as much as I love you.
Your eyes are roaming, and you catch my eye and smile. I smile back.
I love you.
I love you, I love you, I love you.
You’re full on sprinting now, towards the crowd that have been waiting for all of you for hours. I have been waiting for you for hours, and you’re finally home. You look so, so handsome in your green uniform, the metal on your chest bouncing with each step.
You stop. And kneel. Scoop up your child and throw him up in the air as the kid giggles and shrieks with joy.
God, you’re so glorious.
And then you’re here.
You rip my heart straight out of my chest and stomp on it a thousand times as I watch you bend down and kiss your wife.
SECOND PLACE
NAME @primarycolors1
WORD COUNT 300
A bump and his stomach rolls. The plane races over uneven ground. He has a ghost of a headache; his armpits are sour, his tongue coated with slime. He presses his nose against the window and sees nothing but darkness. No runway lights. No moon.
“Hey,” the lieutenant says.
Edward glances at the guy next to him, big and friendly, dimples, laugh lines.
“We’ll be at the base soon, alright? Get you cleaned up, get you home. They’re calling your family right now, man. You’ve been all over the news.” He pats Edward on the shoulder, wincing at the glazed look in his eyes. “You gotta girl at home?”
Edward squeezes the metal seat beneath his leg, rubs a mosquito bite on his arm.
Minutes or hours pass.
“Wife,” he whispers, the profound darkness swallowing his words.
“Yeah?” The lieutenant smiles. “Bet she’s pretty. You’ll have some story to tell, maybe you’ll win the Pulitzer or somethin’.” He shrugs. “Whatever it is journalists win.”
Edward thought about the month he’d been gone on his first assignment, years ago as a graduate student. How she'd waited hours at the Cambridge station for his return. Not caring who saw her run full tilt like a maniac and leap into his arms, cheeks wet with happiness.
"You've been gone too long," she'd whispered.
“How long?” he asks suddenly.
“'Bout 23 months,” the lieutenant answers. “You were never assumed dead though… just missing.”
There is no air.
Edward rakes his fingers through his hair, digs at his scalp, heart thrashing madly in his ribs. He wants to stand; he wants to walk. To run.
God. Two years.
“Whoa, hold on.” The lieutenant grabs his shoulders. “It’ll be fine, I promise. What’s her name?”
“Bella.” A prayer, as he slumps against the curve of the plane. "Bella."
THIRD PLACE
NAME my2galspal
LINK http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1733008/my2galspal
WORD COUNT 294
I have been waiting at this train station every Thursday afternoon for the past month. It’s the day he is supposed to come for me. All the other times I returned to a cheap motel, disappointed and scared, and rented a room for another week. Today is different though. My single bag is packed, just like before, but now I hold a ticket in my hand. I have to move on.
I grab a lock of my newly dyed hair and nervously twirl it around my finger. Being a brunette isn’t the end of the world but it still shocks me whenever I catch a glimpse of my reflection. Used to be the bruises that made me do a double take. Will he mind the change? Will he even recognize me?
Why am I worried about my hair when I may never see him again?
We planned our escape so carefully. We only separated to make sure my ex couldn’t trace us. We were only supposed to stay apart long enough to keep suspicion off the man who saved my life. We were supposed to meet up in this nothing town before moving on together. Something must have happened.
I am terrified to move on without him. What good is being away from the man who beat me if I can’t be with the man who treasures me? If it weren’t for this innate will to live I’d go back to find him.
“Rosie?”
I turn at the sound of my new name, the one only he knows. I want to answer him, but I can’t remember his new name. Instead I run to him and throw myself into his arms. At his touch it comes back to me.
“Emmett,” I breathe in relief.
HONORABLE MENTION
NAME @boomboom_jones
WORD COUNT 299
I want to tell him to stay and that I’ve been in love with him from the moment he stole my pen in Art History.
He’s tired and excited. His eyes are ringed dark but there’s this little glimmer there, and that’s something I can’t take away from him.
We stayed up all last night packing, and the words were right there on the tip of my tongue but… I’m a coward.
He’s supposed to be gone for six months. This internship he’s dreamed about forever.
Everything’s going to change.
“Why so serious?” he asks. He nudges my shoulder with his as we sit
on the bench, waiting for the train to begin boarding.
“You don’t want to know,” I say, which is already more than I should be saying.
“You’re my best friend. Of course, I want to know.” He rests his elbows on his thighs. “Besides, this is probably the perfect time since you’re about to be rid of me for a while. You know how bad my memory is, so, really, you could tell me you’re growing an eleventh finger and I’d definitely forget by tonight.”
“I don’t think you’d forget something like that. That’s gross, by the way.”
“I was going for extreme,” he says, then pauses when I don’t smile. “Talk to me, B.”
“It’s nothing. I’m happy for you is all.”
Edward frowns. “Oh.” Clasping his hands together, he stares off in the opposite direction. The silence between us lasts for a decade. “Did you ever wonder why people wait until the last minute to do something they should’ve done from the start?”
“No.” Yes.
He reaches into his bag. “I bought two tickets,” he says. “Just in case.”
“Just in case what?”
“Just in case you realized we’re supposed to be together.”
HONORABLE MENTION
NAME Bravery0898
LINK http://m.fanfiction.net/u/1414529/
WORD COUNT 297
-----------
8:06 AM.
Exactly nine minutes until I would be leaving. Permanently.
Would she be joining me? Would she leave everything behind for a summer fling? I shook my head.
We were much more. I prayed she knew that.
8:07A.M.
------------------
"Excuse me, sir, but you forgot your wallet!" I turned around and saw her, breathless, holding my black wallet in her hand. Her dark hair was falling from the messy bun and her cheeks were flushed.
I had purposely left it, hoping that today would be the day I could talk to her.
"Thank you so much," I feigned surprise. She smiled shyly, shook her head, and turned to leave. I put my hand on her arm. "Wait. May I take you out to dinner sometime? Tonight, perhaps?"
She blushed and told me she got off work at seven.
I was victorious.
-----------------
"How long?" Her head rested on my chest as I drew patterns on her naked back.
"Until August 5th."
"Will you be back?"
"I don't think so."
"Oh."
I brought her lips to mine.
----------------
"Come with me," I begged.
She knew what I was asking.
"I...don't know if I can."
"Please," I kissed her. "Please. I love you."
She shook her head as tears formed in her eyes. "You don't."
"Oh, I do." And I showed her.
------------
8:12 A.M.
I was numb. I adjusted the strap to my bag and turned to the train.
She must not have loved me. She never said it.
"Edward!" I whipped around and saw her. Beautiful as ever, holding two giant bags. She shrugged.
"I had to pack." Then she ran and jumped in my arms. "I love you. I could never let you go." She murmured against my lips.
"Bella."
The Lemonade Stand would like to also thank all of the participants. We thoroughly enjoyed ALL of the entries!
