“New Habitat” – Flash Fiction for Friday Fictioneers

The following story was written for the weekly Friday Fictioneers prompt posted by Rochelle Weisoff-Fields on her blog, Addicted to Purple.  Check out her website and click on the blue InLinkz frog below to read others’ takes on the photo prompt.  You can also add your own!

Copyright Douglas MacIlroy

New Habitat

(99 words)

Wendy froze.

“What?” Bert asked.

She’d seen these.  She’d hoped never to see them again, certainly not in her brother’s home.

“Where did—?”

He shrugged.  “Flea market.  Cool, right?”

She breathed.  They were rare.  In months of ocean investigation on the Linnaeus, they’d only encountered them once—once, but half the crew was killed.

Now, miles away, one’s skeleton posed innocently as a conversation piece.

Later, they walked on the beach, catching up.  She loved the ocean.  One creature couldn’t ruin it.

“Look,” Bert said.  “Dolphins.”

Wendy saw three, scaly backs moving in tandem.  Not dolphins.  She shivered.

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What’s been going on? I’ve been writing–I promise!

So, I’ve been negligent with regard to my blog lately!  I’ve been feeling guilty about that, but I have been writing!  It’s also been a busy time grading work and making sure my senior students have their ducks in a row for graduation (or at least doing as much as I can in the teacher role and trying not to feel too nervous about a few of them!).  It’s also been a busy time for my family…more to come on that later.

My main writing focus in the midst of the chaos has been three stories for the upcoming FlashDogs Solstice Anthology (coming soon!).  I won the opportunity to write for the anthology through participating in Three Line Thursday.  I’ve been getting wonderful feedback from Brian S. Creek and my writer’s group, and I feel pretty good about two out of three of the stories I’ve been preparing, but that third one still needs some work.

I’ve also been editing and submitting a short story with elements of dark fantasy, “What We Bring Home.”  I’m hoping I can find it a good home.  Though I’m working on a novel with paranormal elements, I’ve only submitted one paranormal story for publication before (“Not Safe” in Black Petals issue 70), so it has been an adventure doing research and figuring out where to submit.  I’ve been shooting high so far (Why not, right?  What is there to lose?) and have been rejected from Clarke’s World, Nightmare, and Apex.  I’ll let you know if I make some progress on this front!

I’ve also fallen behind on weekly prompts, but plan to get back in the habit!

“Games” – Monday’s Finish the Story – Flash Fiction

The following story was written for the weekly Mondays Finish the Story prompt, run by Barbara W. Beacham.  Click on the blue InLinkz frog below to read other stories based on this photo prompt and first line, and add your own!

Copyright Barbara W. Beacham 2015

Games

(1^st sentence + 150 words)

“After losing her head, she realized that the rest of her body was falling apart!” Errol said, tearing the arms from his little sister’s doll and dropping them beside the head and legs.  His sister, Bronwyn, had tears in her eyes.

“Eh, Bronny?” Errol grinned with his missing front tooth, dangling the naked torso.

Bronwyn went inside and up to Errol’s bedroom, stopping in the kitchen on the way.  She scooped Errol’s toy soldiers into one of Mama’s cooking pots and topped it with the glass lid.  She slipped out the front door, set her cooking pot on the driveway, and went to watch a video.  Later, she collected her green plastic stew and placed it on Errol’s bookshelf.

When the truth came out, both children were punished.  Their parents, however, failed to see the greater danger.  The children took a cold-hearted delight in causing anguish.  Perhaps, if their parents had seen this clearly when the children were still young, something could have been done.

Published today with Gravel Magazine!

Hello!  Happy May!  I am excited to announce that my short story, “The Prophecy,” was published today in Gravel Magazine‘s May issue!  What determines a person’s fate?  What do hyenas and a hawk have to do with destiny?  Find out here, and then click around Gravel and read the wonderful fiction, poetry, flash prose, creative nonfiction, and book reviews posted there.

Paul A. Souders/Corbis – http://advocacy.britannica.com/blog/advocacy/tag/hyenas/

Also, please check out a wonderful story, “Time Capsule,” by good friend Lisa Pais in the most recent issue of Nebula Rift.  This is a science fiction story that explores what it really means to be human and is a must-read!