Monthly Archives: November 2014
30
Nov '14

Drabble: The Aliens by Samantha Lienhard

by specklit

My sister and I stood outside and stared at the ship in the sky.

“What do you think they want?” Most people were worried. Not her. She bounced up and down like aliens were the best thing ever. “Will they be friendly?” She grabbed my arm and dragged me inside. “Let’s go check the news!”

The newscaster was also excited. “At last, our attempts to contact the ship have succeeded. Our top translators are working on establishing communications, but for now, we at least have a name for our visitors.”

I stared at the alien word on the screen.

Humans.

Author’s Note: One of my abandoned projects features an alien invasion from a non-human perspective where the invaders turn out to be human.

Categories: Fiction, Samantha Lienhard | 1 Comment »

28
Nov '14

Drabble: Playthings — by Rob Butler

by specklit

Cariaxxa and Gerxxo levitated their presents and telepathically removed the wrapping paper.

“Universe Creator! Cool!” they cried in unison.

“I’m going to build a wonderful little universe where everybody is happy and there are never any wars,” said Cariaxxa.

Her brother snorted as his Big Bang exploded in the containment field before their eyes.

“Typical girl. Mine’s going to be so huge you won’t believe it and I’ll put a tiny little planet somewhere near the edge with people on it and they’ll think they’re so important but I’ll just make them fight and fight until they all destroy themselves.”

Author’s Note: It does sometimes feel as if a teenage boy is running everything!

Categories: Fiction, Rob Butler | No Comments »

26
Nov '14

Drabble: Murphy’s Law by Lizz Shepherd

by specklit

The vampire saw the slight woman in the alleyway and knew she’d be an easy meal. It wouldn’t take much to overpower her and get his fill. She didn’t seem hesitant or afraid when he got close to her, but many of his marks were intoxicated and didn’t realize the end was coming until it did.

He noticed the hint of a smile on the woman as he grabbed her. She lunged at his neck just as he lunged at hers. Both of them stopped and looked at each other.

“Not again,” he said, shaking his head as he walked away.

Author’s Note: Since vampires look like humans, this probably happens more than they’d care to admit.

Categories: Fiction, Lizz Shepherd | No Comments »

24
Nov '14

Drabble: The Crushing Disappointment of the Invisible Man by Ken MacGregor

by specklit

“You’re sure that’s your wish?”

“Positive,” Claude said.

“You could actually sleep with her.”

“Oh, I couldn’t do that,” Claude said. “I would never cheat on Bridgette.”

The djinn shrugged and blew sparkling dust in Claude’s face.

Claude blinked and found himself in Vanessa’s bathroom. The shower was running.

Claude’s heart slammed into his ribs and he could barely breathe.

Vanessa stepped out of the tub, naked, wet and perfect. After drying herself, she sat on the toilet and snagged a book from the rack. Uh-Oh.

Then, Vanessa dug a finger into her nose and put Claude off voyeurism forever.

Author’s Note: I commented to my wife that I’d like to be invisible so I could spy on people. She said I’d like see a lot of nose-picking. I think she’s right.

Categories: Fiction, Ken MacGregor | No Comments »

22
Nov '14

Drabble: One Weird Trick by Robert Dawson

by specklit

WHITER TEETH! Try This One Weird Trick That Dentists Hate, Discovered By A Local Mom!

They’re all over the Internet now. Ever clicked to see what the trick is?

Ronald was curious, and sick of Gail bitching about his cigarette-stained teeth. Within ten minutes a text message arrived, inviting him to drop over. The address was only five blocks away.

She was waiting by the front door; she smiled, and asked him to come inside. Her husband was out, she said; the baby was napping. She was slim and glamorous. And eager.

And her teeth were very white and sharp.

Author’s Note: We all know better than to click on those links, don’t we? After all, who needs malware?

Categories: Fiction, Robert Dawson | 2 Comments »

20
Nov '14

Drabble: A Good Date by Shawn D. Brink

by specklit

Holding hands, they stopped outside the cemetery’s fence. It had been a good first date.

“Do you like zombie stories?” he asked.

She nodded.

“This fence wasn’t here before the zombification disaster of ’98. I was the only zombie that escaped the cemetery that night, jumping onto a passing trolley. After that, a fence was scientifically built to keep the zombies within dormant.”

“Your story is flawed,” she said. “No trollies ran here in 1998, so you failed to scare me.”

“I was referring to 1898.”

Her brain barely registered this information before the zombie ripped it from her skull.

Author’s Note: The lesson to be learned from this drabble? If your date says that they are a zombie, then run away. Historically, zombies are slow runners and you will probably escape.

Categories: Fiction, Shawn D. Brink | No Comments »

18
Nov '14

Drabble: Quick Fix by Alison V. King

by specklit

‘You promised you wouldn’t.’

‘Oops.’ Her pupils were blown. She smelled like Magic.

‘Your mother said-‘

‘Don’t.’ Her eyes flashed and bright sparks shot from her fingertips. He was playing with fire. They didn’t need another explosion; the neighbours hadn’t stopped asking questions about the last one.

‘You’re sick. You need help.’

She swayed, chuckling darkly. She could barely hold herself upright.

He was angry at her and her little army of broken promises. The woman he loved had almost faded, the emerald haze from that last hit suffocating her slowly. Another night like this and she would be gone.

Author’s Note: This piece came from a writing exercise I was given. The brief stated I had to write an argument but the theme was left open. I have a fondness for myth and magic and I wanted to see if I could create a plausible conversation around magic as addiction.

Categories: Alison V. King, Fiction | No Comments »

16
Nov '14

Drabble: All the Time in the World by Rob Butler

by specklit

Terry’s grandfather was a professional magician. At parties he did amazing card tricks for the youngster and before each one he tapped mysteriously on an old pocket watch hanging by a huge gold chain from his waistcoat.

When the old man died, Terry asked his parents if he could keep the pocket watch. He could remember the pattern of taps and found to his astonishment that the watch stopped. And so did everything else. Time itself came to a halt.

Terry had a wild time, stealing money and committing many other unspeakable deeds.

Unfortunately, however, he couldn’t restart the watch.

Author’s Note: Always check out your exit strategy.

Categories: Fiction, Rob Butler | 2 Comments »

14
Nov '14

Drabble: Green as Apples by Sylvia Heike

by specklit

Hannah sneaked up on the vibrant green bottles cooling on the back porch. They glowed unlike any lemonade she’d seen. She took a sip, savouring the mysterious flavour–and started shrinking.

“Hannah!” Grandmother shrieked as she stepped outside, staring at her granddaughter’s changed form. She raised the bottle to assess how much was gone. “Oh dear. Looks like you’ll be a frog for a while.”

Grandmother scooped Hannah up in her palms and set her in the fenced garden pond where another bright green frog was waiting.

It was the first time Hannah met her missing Grandfather face to face.

Author’s Note: The flower fertiliser solution that I mix into empty bottles makes them look like magic potions. What would happen if someone took a sip?

Categories: Fiction, Sylvia Heike | No Comments »

12
Nov '14

Drabble: Checkout Page by Robert Dawson

by specklit

Leigha hated online shopping.

She preferred the mall’s bustling reality. But Marysandra’s birthday was tomorrow, and that cute sweater wasn’t in any local store.

There it was! Click! Checkout time… Apprehensively, she entered her credit number and password. Then:

Just to prove you’re a real person, please type this!

She stared at the swirls. Did some people really see letters? Suppressed memories flooded back: Leigha knew exactly why she loathed online shopping, and what she was programmed to do next.

“Technical support? Leigha here. I’ve realized once again that I’m an android. Can you book me for rebooting this afternoon?”

Author’s Note: Ever come across a website where you just plain couldn’t make the CAPTCHA work? Or is it just me?

Categories: Fiction, Robert Dawson | 4 Comments »

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