Flashfic thread: Rotating themes

[DeeZire]

The Sword 9 of 10

He started as a tent-rigger, but when the sword-swallower position opened up, he jumped at the chance. It wasn’t the pay raise he wanted, it was Sheila, the fire-breather. For seven years he had been dreaming of her, and now, his chance had come.

After three days of practice, he had it down. The first performance was a breeze, and moments later, the crowd was cheering, and Sheila was whispering in his ear.

“Meet me later? Behind the prop trailer?”

He took a step back, stumbled on a tent stake, and fell on his sword.

“I love you,” he gasped.

(100 even)

 

[MercyMia]

The Sword

10/10

Eru's sword is the kris, a short-bladed weapon with dangerous curves shimmying along its flashy surface. The handle is made of bone from a water buffalo, blackened now with use. Eru deftly draws his kris to cut the branches in his path. He is tracking his wife in the night. Chirping crickets and hooting owls camoflage the soft thud of his footsteps behind her. In the moonlight he sees her hair flying behind her. The bone handle is warm against his palm. With infinite patience and skill, he follows her towards the hut on the riverbank where his cousin, Amas, will welcome her again.

Is that 100 words?

New topic: Red velvet

 

[glynndah]

Red Velvet
1 out of 10

Aunt Mamie always brought her red velvet cake to the family reunion. There it stood, proud and majestic on her Tupperware cake stand, a queen among the lowly sheet cakes, paper plates of cookies, both store bought and home-made and red Jell-O concoctions which bridged the gap between desserts (Jell-O with fruit and marshmallows) and salads (Jell-O with shredded carrots). Her red velvet cake was a sight to behold. Layers upon layers of moist, rich chocolate cake generously iced with swirls and swirls of boiled frosting, so white it gleamed, the sugar beads tipping each artfully placed swoop and loop.

(100)

 

[Stella_Omega]

Lots of goodies! Dee-zire, you are simply sadistic.

Glynndah, I love the Tupperware cake stand, and the difference between deserts and salads

 

[tickledkitty]

2/10 Red Velvet

The first thing she saw upon awakening was the red velvet stocking bulging with goodies. It hung from the doorknob by a ribbon with a small stuffed bear, a rather large candy cane, and a wrapped gift peeking from the cuff. Throwing the covers back, she leaped out of bed, grabbed her stocking, and upended it on her bed. Treasures flowed out, followed by a large orange that plopped on top of the pile and rolled to the side. A net bag of gold foil-wrapped chocolate coins glittered beside some Silly Putty and a box of crayons.

Santa had visited!

(100)

 

[glynndah]

Red Velvet
3 out of 10

She wore a red velvet wedding dress. Everyone was scandalized, but her fiancé, Robert, didn’t seem to mind and her parents chose to indulge her with a Christmas wedding. She walked down the aisle of the little church resplendent in crimson.


Years later, after her death, her granddaughter found the letter.

My darling,

I know that we can never be together, but I would ask one favor before I bow out of your life. Wear a red velvet dress and stand at that altar, knowing that I would give anything to be standing there beside you.

All my love, Chris.

(100)

 

[tickledkitty]

Hmmm...was that Chris Cringle perhaps?

 

[DeeZire]

Red Velvet 4 of 10

Her palms are sweating, her knees are knocking.

“Sue! Come on down!”

The sultry strains of ‘Black Velvet’ serenade her up on stage. She takes the mic, but she doesn’t even have to look at the Karaoke screen, because she knows every word by heart. (She always knows every word by heart.)

“Mississippi, middle of a dry spell.”

She shakes her ample hips like Elvis. She struts. She sneers out the chorus.

“Red Velvet in that little boys smile.”

The crowd groans. “Black velvet, not red velvet!” They start booing, but she thinks they’re saying “Sue! Sue!”

She beams triumphantly.
(100)

 

[glynndah]

Hmmm...was that Chris Cringle perhaps?

Hmmm. I hadn't even thought of that one. I had a couple of others in mind, but 100 words doesn't give much room to indulge...

 

[MercyMia]

5/10 Red Velvet

Tracy unwrapped the gift with trembling fingers. A surprise, but from whom? Nestled inside soft white tissue was a single pair of black silk panties. She traced the luxurious material with awe, already imagining how they would feel underneath her dress. Who knew her intimately enough to buy the proper size (six)? She examined the manufacturer's label in the seam and was surprised to find a narrow strip of red velvet sewn snugly into the middle of the gusset. She felt her cheeks grow hot when she realized exactly where that material would rub against her. Who were these from?

(98 words)

 

[Stella_Omega]

5/10 Red Velvet

Tracy unwrapped the gift with trembling fingers. A surprise, but from whom? Nestled inside soft white tissue was a single pair of black silk panties. She traced the luxurious material with awe, already imagining how they would feel underneath her dress. Who knew her intimately enough to buy the proper size (six)? She examined the manufacturer's label in the seam and was surprised to find a narrow strip of red velvet sewn snugly into the middle of the gusset. She felt her cheeks grow hot when she realized exactly where that material would rub against her. Who were these from?

(98 words)

*shiver*

Back in the day, I patched a pair of jeans for a boyfriend. I patched the crotch with velvet-- on the inside, as you've written here. He demanded I take it out again!

 

[TE999]

6 of 10
Red Velvet

Lars awoke in darkness. He could barely move. Where was he?

Fumbling in his pocket, he lit his penlight. Red velvet! He was in a coffin! He screamed and pushed on the lid, gasping for air. He was trapped, smothering!

A voice echoed in his mind. "Have no fear brother. The change is nearly complete."

He gasped as his body became cold, his incisors lengthened and a strange vitality coursed through him.

The lid opened and faces were smiling at him. "A difficult rebirth?" one asked.

"Yes. Difficult." Lars replied. "I hunger. Let us go."

They disappeared into the night.

(100 even)

 

[MercyMia]

*shiver*

Back in the day, I patched a pair of jeans for a boyfriend. I patched the crotch with velvet-- on the inside, as you've written here. He demanded I take it out again!

Fussy man!

 

[glynndah]

Red Velvet
7 out of 10

“No, really. It’s simple. You just go in with the CD player, set up in front of the guest of honor and dance. Piece a cake.” Rick was putting on his coat as he gave me the last minute instructions. Tonight would be my first night as a performer for him and I was nervous.

“But…” I began to object as I pulled on the red velvet costume.

“But nothing,” Rick interrupted. “You dance. Strip down to your underwear, at least, Chris. Anything else is up to you. And rake in the tips which you keep.”

“But as Santa Claus!?!”

(100 words) And thanks to tk for the inspiration.

 

[Lee Chambers]

Red Velvet
8/10

Amelia slowly opened the long, wooden box and drew out the object, which was wrapped in rich, red velvet. She passed it to Rafe, who took it with great care and reverence.

“This weapon has seen much strife..” She said.

Rafe pulled back the velvet cover to reveal the masterwork blade. He gazed at it in awe for a long moment before looking back to Amelia.

“Why do you keep it wrapped in red velvet?” He asked.

“Our traditions demand that a warrior’s blade always be touched by crimson. If it will not be cloth, then it must be blood.”

(100 words)

A sword AND red velvet post, since I missed the chance to post in the sword topic.

 

[rengadeirishman]

9 of 10 Red Velvet

nicely done lee.
-----------------------------------------------

Red Velvet Upholstery, the man thought. Nice choice, considering the circumstances. He pulled a forty five handgun from a holster under his jacket, and readied it, moving slowly and silently. He heard the man and the woman in the bedroom, working out their tensions. They both seemed quite pleased by each other, so the dangerous man waited. They continued their play until the last scream sounded. The man walked out and was grabbed. forced to the red velvet couch. The gun fired. the young man screamed, covered in red paint.
“SON OF A BITCH!”
“That’s how you play assassin dude!”

 

[TE999]

Red Velvet
10 of 10

Arnold swung the sword over his head, a red velvet cape on his shoulders. He was a brave knight, a warrior, a hero. Men feared him, women adored him, crowds cheered him. He was no longer a skinny, frightened 12 year old boy that the older boys teased and the girls ignored.

The sword was only a toy, the cape a length of cloth from the rag bag, but they gave strength to his dreams. One day he would show them. He would show them all.

"Arnold Schwartzenegger, come in the house immediately. Dinners ready."

The sword drooped. "Coming mother."

(100 even)

[Next subject: Greed ]

 

[jomar]

Stopping back by...

Greed
1 of 10

“Where’s my ticket?”

“Nope.”

“Thought you said your friend had two cheap ones?”

“He just had one so you’ll buy one there.”

“I will. Since I’m visiting, why don’t you buy from a scalper. We’ll split the price.”

“Naw, man. It’ll work out. You can come down to me at the half.” He tried to laugh it off.

Outside the coliseum, I was about to buy a ticket when a man walked by and said, “You can have this for free. Corporate ticket. Guy couldn’t come.”

I waved to my friend, sitting far above me, from the twentieth row, mid-court.

 

[DeeZire]

Greed 2 of 10

He stared out his window, incensed at the sight of Hector, laughing with his friends - Pablo, trimming the hedge; Juan, running the weedeater; Jose, shoving branches through the woodchipper. It was like they were having a goddamned party, right there on his lawn. He had fired men for less.

He thought about a golf game, but who could the most hated man in town call for a foursome? He flipped through his rolodex, but came up empty. No matter. There were rentals to check on, tenants to evict.

He checked the stock ticker, waiting for the smile that wouldn’t come.
(100)

 

[TE999]

3 of 10
Greed

"Hurry Sir Percy. She's goin' down!"

"Hold the boat sailor. I'm coming," he replied, stuffing gold coins into his waistcoat. My gold. I've spent my life accumulating this. I can't lose it !

Sir Percy staggered along the schooners tilting deck, the ship shuddering beneath him as the waves smashed it into the reef.

He climbed over the rail, reaching for a sailors hand.

A wave pulled the boat away from the rail. Sir Percy overbalanced, fell into the water and disappeared.

A sailor plucked his tricorner hat from the water, placing it jauntily on his head as they rowed away.

(100 even)

 

[glynndah]

Greed
4 out of 10

Greed. What is it, really? Simply wanting more than you have, more than those proverbial Jones everyone always talks about, but no one owns up to being? Does greed mean wanting more than you can possibly need or use, or is there something more to it? A primeval urge to have enough, to have plenty of things stockpiled, hidden away, in case times are bad.

He frequently asked himself these questions. After all, he had nothing but time on his hands. Time, and all those paintings and sculptures and treasures stolen from the rich and resold to the even richer.

(100 words)

 

[MercyMia]

Greed

5 of 10

John West had always loved sausages. He relished the first bite into a plump, juicy sausage when the fatty liquid burst into his mouth, bringing the deep taste of salt and pork. In his refrigerator, he had bratwurst, Cajun weiners, breakfast links, bockwurst, and thick rolls of salami and bologna. So he stood poised now at the table with 27 other men and 3 women, his right hand poised to grab the first hotdog from the platter in front of him. He had been champion 5 years ago and had nearly died from indigestion that night. Today, he would top his record of 287 hotdogs. He would win again!

(100)

 

[TE999]

Greed
6 of 10

Carstairs ran across the rooftop, a blue bag in his hand. I was the big score! A fortune in cut diamonds. Stolen under the noses of the security guards. This would set him up for life.

He raced down the fire escape. As he reached the alley, a police car appeared. He had to hide the jewels. Opening the bag, he swallowed the contents and began to run.

***

The police found Carstairs in a pool of blood, his stomach and digestive tract cut to ribbons by the diamonds. They lay twinkling in the red puddle, mocking his dreams of riches.

(100 even)

 

[glynndah]

I'm bumping this fine addition to the Author’s Hangout’s vast collection of memorable threads because, although I personally have absolutely nothing of any interest or value to contribute, no witty little essay chock-a-block with bon mots worthy of this august place, the rest of you brave and noble writer-y type people - and I am including all those whom I know are lurking in the background, just waiting for their little moment in the spotlight to begin- should be able to pop off one hundred words, concise, smart and succinct, on just about any topic imagined by your fellow wordsmiths.

(100 words, but it's really just a bump)

 

[TE999]

Greed
7 of 10

"Ha Ha, I won again. Who else wants to lose?"

Johnny stuffed marbles into his bulging pockets. The other boys shrugged. He was the best shooter in school. Why play with him?

"If you wanna lose again, look me up," Johnny laughed. Mom's gonna kill me for bein' out so late. I better run. He patted his pockets, all the marbles were his!

An owl screeched. He ran faster! As he crossed the street he tripped and fell. His pockets burst and the marbles rolled into a storm drain.

They were gone! Now he had none. Crying, he ran home.

(100 even)