Monthly Archives: August 2014
10
Aug '14

Drabble: It’s Not As If I’m Dead by Patrick Stahl

by specklit

Papa walked through the door, holding his side. Blood oozed down his jacket.

“What happened, Papa?” I screamed, running to him for a hug.

“I’m just shook up, Princess. My car slid off the road and hit a tree.” Papa stepped over to the fridge and pulled out a pitcher of water.

I got him my favorite pink cup from the cupboard. “Did you call 911?”

“No. It’s not as if I’m dead.” He mussed my hair. “Just bruised.”

My eyes bulged. I pointed at his chest.

Papa watched the water pour out from where his heart should have been.

Author’s Note: (This idea struck me when a podcaster recounted a story, then stated, “Well, I’m not dead.” I thought, what if it turned out he was actually a zombie. The young girl protagonist was an attempt to make it as horrific as possible.)

Categories: Fiction, Patrick Stahl | 2 Comments »

8
Aug '14

Drabble: The Tourist by Antonio Urias

by specklit

There was a dragon in Times Square wearing a Hawaiian shirt and taking pictures.

Times Square was crowded enough at the best of times, but a dragon on the sidewalk was a different matter. The pedestrians were forced to cross the jam-packed street to avoid it. The dragon itself didn’t seem to notice. Looming over the throng of people, it kept its serpentine eyes fixed on the billboards and the lights. Humans were so clever.

One man did not avoid the dragon. He slipped through the throng and leapt over the dragon’s tail effortlessly.

“Tourist,” he muttered, with a sigh.

Author’s Note: Walking through Times Square fills me with a particularly homicidal rage. Enter dragon.

Categories: Antonio Urias, Fiction | 1 Comment »

6
Aug '14

Drabble: Heaven by Michael Heneghan

by specklit

He’d found himself in Heaven quite by accident. He wasn’t sure that he’d worked up the necessary points, but they said there hadn’t been a mistake. Who was he to argue?

He didn’t like it. Everyone was so pleased with themselves, always getting what they wanted. He’d spent his whole life not getting what he wanted.

He said he wanted it to stop. They said no. He said he wanted it. Wasn’t that supposed to be how this worked? They said he had a point.

So he got what he wanted. To Hell with everyone else.

He says he’s sorry.

Author’s Note: Some people are only happy when everyone else isn’t.

Categories: Michael Heneghan | No Comments »

4
Aug '14

Drabble: Indelibly Mine by Nicholas M. Bugden

by specklit

He peels the muscle shirt off his back in front of the seated woman. His entire torso is covered in ink, with the exception of a stretch of bare skin above his pelvis. The woman – wearing black panties and nothing else – moves a hand up his firm body. Her fingers touch each tattoo, various women in undress.

“Who are these women…?”

“Want to meet them?”

He lifts her head and stares in her eyes. He sees fear. She tries to scream but nothing comes out. Silence. He looks down; the stretch of bare skin can no longer be seen.

Author’s Note: An ode to the bad boy; nice guys finish last but that’s what makes them good in bed.

Categories: Fiction, Nicholas M. Bugden | No Comments »

2
Aug '14

Drabble: Turning Seasons by Jamie Lackey

by specklit

Tears froze on Winter’s cheeks as he clung to Fall’s limp hand. She smelled like decaying leaves, overripe apples, cold rain. “Don’t go,” he whispered.

Fall’s smile was sunlight on ripe fields. “You won’t miss me.”

“I will.”

“You’ll bury the world in snow. Revel in your isolation. When you grow lonely, make a daughter, as I made you, as Summer made me.”

“I hate this cycle.”

Frost spread from Winter’s fingers, ravaged Fall’s golden skin. He jerked away. “I always miss you.”

Fall’s eyes drifted closed. “We always meet again.”

Winter walked away, and ice formed in his footprints.

Author’s Note: It was cold and snowy when I wrote this, and I needed to remind myself that winter doesn’t last forever.

Categories: Jamie Lackey | 1 Comment »

1
Aug '14

The Best Of SpeckLit 2nd Quarter 2014 – Reader Choice Voting

by specklit

Another three months have passed and as of July 1st, SpeckLit started with a third round of authors and drabbles, meaning it’s time once again to celebrate the best stories that have appeared on the site from April to the end of June.

And this time there are more of them! In April we stepped up from publishing once every three days to every other day, bring us to 14 authors and 46 stories.

And just like last time, we need help picking the best stories from the 2nd Quarter just as you did for the 1st Quarter.

We invite you to use the form below to vote on your top three stories. The winners will receive Amazon gift certificates. Votes must be received by the 31st of August. Winners will be announced the first week of September.

The Best of SpeckLit 2nd Quarter 2014

Enter the name of your top 3 stories in the spaces provided. To refresh your memory, you can visit any of them by clicking on the story title. Only one set of votes per email address allowed. Email addresses will not be used for any purpose other than confirm the validity of the vote. At the end of the month, they will be discarded.

  1. Scarf by Samantha Lienhard
  2. Skyjacked by Alison McBain
  3. The Midas Tuque by Ken MacGregor
  4. Homecoming by Stewart C Baker
  5. Protocol by Simon Petrie
  6. A Heartbeat Away by Erin M. Hartshorn
  7. In the Loop by Rob Butler
  8. The Other Woden by Ken MacGregor
  9. Beginner’s Luck by Rose Blackthorn
  10. Clippings by Kevin G. Bufton
  11. Numb by Samantha Lienhard
  12. Latte by M.M. DeVoe
  13. Teleporter Blues by Erin M. Hartshorn
  14. Scales of Justice by Simon Petrie
  15. The Tale of the Patchwork Pig by Kevin G. Bufton
  16. No Chance by Rob Butler
  17. Lesson Learned by Holly Schofield
  18. Jack and the Aftermath by Ken MacGregor
  19. Eventful Flight by Simon Petrie
  20. Cursed by Samantha Lienhard
  21. An Endless Vibrato by Stewart C Baker
  22. The Cabin Boy on the Widow’s Walk by Bryce Hughes
  23. Ghostwriter by Erin M. Hartshorn
  24. Tourists in Hell by Alison McBain
  25. Patience by Rob Butler
  26. Monsters by Samantha Lienhard
  27. Avoidance of Eye Contact by Simon Petrie
  28. Ghost of a Smile by Ken MacGregor
  29. Oh! The Places I’d Go! by Katherine McCarthy
  30. The Other Half by KJ Kabza
  31. Sacrifices by Rose Blackthorn
  32. Closure by Holly Schofield
  33. In Passing by Rob Butler
  34. Cooked by M. M. De Voe
  35. Reasonable Wear and Tear by Simon Petrie
  36. Tourists by KJ Kabza
  37. Ghost Detective by Erin M. Hartshorn
  38. The Unexpected Suitor by Bryce Hughes
  39. Cantankerous Bones by Ken MacGregor
  40. Across the River by Samantha Lienhard
  41. Half the Man by Simon Petrie
  42. Ready to Go by Rob Butler
  43. Time Dynamics, Inc. by Erin M. Hartshorn
  44. Magic by Samantha Lienhard
  45. Hat’s Off by Katherine McCarthy
  46. I’ll Never Have That Recipe Again by Simon Petrie

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Thank you again for helping make SpeckLit the place on the web for micro-fiction.

Categories: Special Notices | 1 Comment »

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