Welcome to the flash fiction section of the website. These pieces run the gamut of content and perspectives. Each piece was a pleasure to write. Since each piece was written around the same time, they all are comparable in writing skill and most are heavily ambiguous. In terms of objective criteria, the pieces are between 0 and 1000 words with the majority being around 500 words or 1000 words. I loved writing these. There is one hint I will give you - at 500 or 1000 words - just read them, because I doubt you know where they are going.
Please, Don't Recycle | 449 | February 15, 2015
Empty, what is my purpose? I guess my original purpose is still here; I could be refilled with a different fluid, but he crushed me down and put the cap back on. Who is going to blow me back up and refill me with a delicious tea, soda, or even water? This feeling of aimlessness, I guess that is what humans feel all the time – worthless. Oh well, there is still hope that I can be reused. Maybe it is time to travel?
A Little Vanilla | 499 | February 15, 2015
“Would you like room for cream?”“Yes, and can I get a little vanilla?”
“That’ll be extra.” It didn’t used to be extra…
“That’s fine.” Odd how things change. I wonder if someone else bought— is that John? “John? John Schwartz?”
“Yes?” Does he not remember me?
“Xavier.” Did I get too fat? I know I put on some extra weight since we used to play together.
“I’m… you look familiar.”
Family Matters | 482 | February 15, 2015
Jeffery,
We have begun an analysis for our old business and have deemed there to be a threat. Your marketing agency has been working with us to promote our affordable electricity since I joined the company. As such, I wanted to inform you that we have noticed a potential shortage which will drive the cost of oil produced electricity up in the future. This will be a minor bump, but it will affect us for a long period of time. As you know, when our prices increase, other technologies are deployed to mitigate the increase. Thus, you will need to begin looking into a new marketing strategy that doesn’t focus on the cost of our product.
I was always perfect, from the second I entered this world. Don’t get me wrong, if you had scientists, engineers, and business professionals design you, you would be perfect too. While stunning in form, I am deficient in all things human… like humility. Unlike you, I remember my birth and it was flawless: no dings, scrapes, or dents – modern engineering at its best. Then the anodizing, and I was complete.
Medallion | 493 | July 18, 2014
Fifteen lousy years since that bitch tricked me. It was damn a Chinese finger trap, damned if I don’t, damned if I do. But I won, I made it and now there is no way she can stop me. Stupid medallion, it doesn’t even roll over my fingers like the ten year one. Through one finger, up the other, and around the next. Through one finger, up the other, and around the next. Why isn’t the door opening? They say they open at eleven, it’s eleven oh five. Through one finger, up the other, and around the next. I hope they are still in business. Damn it! Why is this coffee this hot? I swea—
Two Snakes | 799 | September 13, 2014
I stuck around for a bit after I finished my mission. I had to because of my special probationary status. They told me, “Just float around for a bit.” Some would say, I was a little messed up back then. Right now, I would agree, but during that time floating around, I didn’t really care. I just kept my focus on this Robert Wilson. Oh Robert, what a lucky guy.
American born, that’s right, I am one of the few to come out of America. I say few and know that few is a subjective term, but based on how many of us were born, it makes sense to use few in this case. We were the exceptional, the elite, and we were good at what we did. I was born in the great steel belt of America. A child that was smelted in the great forges of the American Stainless Steel Corporation. With a pedigree like that, it is no surprise that I found myself on the front lines. Once our nation decided that war was inevitable, my kin and I were shipped to Britain, split up, and prepped for the impending invasion.
An Adventure in the 500s
Below are some pieces I never thought I could write. I chose to isolate them from the rest, because they proved I could write 500 word short stories. The logical progression through the pieces is Carbonation, Arm and I, and Drops in an Ocean. For the competition, they all needed to be less than 500 words. I hope you enjoy them!
Carbonation | 464 | July 14, 2014
When I was first created, it was believed that I only could be constructed from three primary ingredients. No, no, I am not talking about sugar, spice, and everything nice – that is how you make girls. My recipe is not sweet, it is nefarious. I will give you a hint, my secret fourth ingredient was yeast. Get it? No? Alright, well I am beer. I get boiled with hops, barley, and water. Then they toss critters into me. It is at that point – when the alcohol starts to appear – that I would call my birth.
Arm and I | 499 | July 14, 2014
Exciting! That was what I thought the world was going to be when I was put into my community. Each one of us had a specific duty and our design, was such that, wouldn’t let us assume a different role. It was better this way, we were focused tools in the division of labor. Arm, he was the brains, would be directing all of the traffic in the community. Not one piece of information was allowed to be routed around him. But, well, that is because he was a processor. I liked Arm. That was because we both had important tasks. Some of the others, I don’t want to use names, weren’t that important. They were the roads that the information passed by. But, Arm and I, we were vital. That was the problem, we were vital. Our owner, some of the other components called it father, was not the best at caring for his phones.
Drops in an Ocean | 440 | July 14, 2014
My life is short with a specific goal. I won’t live very long. Some would argue that all lives are short when compared to the whole timeline of the universe… true. We’re all but a drop in a vast ocean and can rarely – that single drop – affect the course of that body of water… but in comparison to you, the reader, my life is very short. Hell, even those in the Middle Ages lived longer than me. I know, I’m salty, but you would be salty if you had a goal like me. Not to mention my upbringing. I was never abused, no one would hit me for obvious reasons, but I did hear darkly depressing statements.
Cookies | Competition Piece | 751 | July 20, 2014
The prompt I received: She rolled her eyes as another one of her cabin mates tried to stifle sobs. She couldn’t believe she had to stay at this horrible camp all summer! Her stomach growled. As she stepped toward her trunk for a forbidden snack, she tripped on a loose board. Curious, she leaned over to peek between the cracks, and saw