April 19, midnight, I was assigned a genre, a word and an action, and had to write a story of 100 words or less in 24 hours.
I, and the 5000 others who competed in NYC Midnight’s 100-word Microfiction Challenge will find out on June 12th if we made it to the next round.
The genre for my group was horror, the word was “connect” (could be part of a longer word), and the action was building a fire.
Must confess I was secretly thrilled to get horror, because it’s a genre I’ve never tried. Since I actually wrote two stories that day, I thought it would be fun to share the one I didn’t submit.
Company
When I returned to the entrance, the earthen muscle wouldn’t open.
“Takes a year,” an old voice called.
I whirled, “a what?”
The pensioner shrugged.
For months I tried unsuccessfully, then I passed time wandering.
Through identical neighborhoods, infinite vacant hotels, a thousand doors in disconnected walls. Saw not-quite people, mouths open like fish. Tiny mouths, big faces. Big mouths, tiny faces.
On day 365 I returned, desperate, mad.
“You’re back,” he’d lit a fire and was eating rabbit. “Hope you didn’t open any doors.”
“Why?” I demanded.
“A year.”
I stared, uncomprehending.
“For each,” he smiled. “Happy anniversary, friend.”
If you have a flash fiction story, feel free to share! I can’t get enough.
Ooooooh, that turned out well! Can’t wait to read the one you DID submit. My friend Wendy in Luxembourg writes those too and challenged me to one. Paring down language is not my forte (outside of poems, that is) but I tried it and will try to share here if it lets me.