December, 2023 Archives
Dec
Horrors Of War
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
Innocent civilians taken hostage. Families plead for their loved ones’ safe return, helpless and fearing the worst outcome. All they can do is weep and wait.
Pictures of children shown on the news, unaware of the outside world, scared, frightened, and huddled together unable to sleep, wanting their parents to save them and not knowing why they’re separated.
Countries gather to create foundations to help those in need. How long will it last?
Shootings and chaos surround streets, and gunfire echoes in the air. People bellow and search for safety, unable to find it.
These are the horrors of war.
From Guest Contributor Lisa M. Scuderi-Burkimsher
Dec
Tannery
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
He received a large order to carpet an entire wall: that meant working late at the light tannery, in the other room. He looked at the skyscrapers at the far end of the room where he was now, but it could be done. He had to get to the other room, where the flowers grew: once the stem was cut, the stone inside reacted chemically with the local oxygen, then melted into spots of light whose original texture was much like a tongue’s. He sighed, thinking about his life. What he really enjoyed was preparing chlorophyll manually, on the piano.
From Guest Contributor Angelo Colella
Dec
Relativists
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
A twin, jealous of her sister’s looks, sends her into outer space.
-The joke’s on you, says their mother. She will return younger than you. And, she’ll look even better.
Doesn’t she know time is an illusion? Then again, she believes the sun rises and sets.
-She knows an illusion when she sees it, says the mother. She’s always been the smart one.
The mother glances down at her watch. It runs more slowly when in motion, treating time like taffy: the greater the pull, the more it stretches.
-Gravity, she seethes.
You always liked her better, says the twin.
From Guest Contributor Cheryl Snell
Cheryl’s recent fiction has appeared in Switch, Does It Have Pockets? Gone Lawn, Necessary Fiction, Pure Slush, and elsewhere.
Dec
At The Bar
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
Drunk Joe asked the man next to him at the bar “Do you believe in flying saucers? I think they are a crock.”
“No it’s absurd. They have it all wrong. Our ships are triangular.”
”Huh?”
“Aliens aren’t little green men. We come in many colors. You get light and dark ones here.”
“Where do you get these ideas?”
“I’m a triangle pilot. They are half as wide as they are long. Don’t believe me? We look mostly like humans, but” it pulls up its pants and takes off its shoes “see – four legs.”
Joe goes home and quits drinking.
From Guest Contributor Doug Hawley
Dec
What In Hell Is A Soul?
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
The super highway of data flowing back to the Dyson Sphere brought several questions to mind. Are all the math numbers being crunched supposedly from bitcoin to dogecoin just souls caught in the Mandela effect? Seemed illogical. And yet?
The more one reviews the simulator of life. The more questions one has to think about. Does thinking make anything right? No.
And often times thoughts bring about new ideas. The question is any of this real?
Then the realization even if this was not real. Here I am today. And here you are too? Which begs the question in hell.
From Guest Contributor Clinton Siegle
Dec
Person To Notify
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
“Have I reached Frieda Grompkin?”
“Yes.” Frieda did not recognize the voice nor number on her phone.
“I’m calling from the hospital. It’s about Ed.”
“Ed?” She hadn’t seen her ex-husband in 6 years. “What?”
“You’re listed as the person to notify. He needs emergency surgery after the accident.”
There was some mistake in the record. Why was she listed?
“Tell him he’s overdue on his last three alimony payments.” It was best not to say, “Tell that bum…”
“He may not make it.”
No more payments? But, no more Ed?
“Oh. In that case, thank you for the call.”
From Guest Contributor David Sydney
Dec
Regular Occurrence
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
The sky is clear, but not for long as bomber planes are approaching. As the blaring alarm sounds, Esme heads to the basement with the other tenants. Sadly, no one looks frightened as it’s a regular occurrence.
Bundled, but still cold, Esme and the other people sing to pass the time while others close their eyes or read.
Hours pass and finally they get the okay to go home.
Her apartment is unharmed, but a few blocks away buildings have been destroyed.
She closes her eyes and prays she makes it out of the war to see her family again.
From Guest Contributor Lisa M. Scuderi-Burkimsher
Dec
A Frank Conversation Following An Epistolary Courtship
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
How will you tell people we met? she asks.
I’ll say I’m a quantum anthropologist from a parallel reality who built a machine to peer beyond dimensional walls. That I spent years studying myriad earths twitching across infinite frequencies until, one day, I saw you through my viewfinder. Yes, I knew crossing the trans-dimensional bridge would buckle my reality’s foundations. I didn’t care. I’ll warn everyone, my love for you doomed a universe.
And you? he asks.
She shifts. Her shackles jingle. The guard clears his throat. The truth. I took first at the International Sasquatch Rodeo. You were runner-up.
From Guest Contributor Keith J. Powell
Keith is co-founder of Your Impossible Voice. Find more of his writing at www.keithjpowell.com.
Dec
Honeymoon At Home
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
The cats prefer to keep their secrets or their distance. Never both. But Darling even looks different, like a Saturday morning Sylvester. The first time it happened, I asked my husband if he wanted some blueberry cake. He didn’t hear me, but Darling said, “Muah, I do.” He winked. He answered me from then on, but never in front of my husband. I began to come up with questions just to hear him talk. “What’s your favorite pie?” “Do you enjoy having a tail?” “Do you love me?” My husband planned a second honeymoon. Darling and I watched him pack.
From Guest Contributor Luanne Castle
Luanne’s recent fiction can be found in Bending Genres, The Dribble Drabble Review, Does It Have Pockets, South 85 Journal, and The Ekphrastic Review. She has written several award-winning poetry books.
Dec
Losers
by thegooddoctor in 100 Words
It was the last inning in an adult softball playoff game. We were behind by two runs. I had gotten a walk, which filled the bases. The next batter could tie or win the game. The manager replaced two of us with pinch runners, which caused our second and third outs for batting out of order. Many people thought that I was a good runner. Pinch runners were supposed to be used for the injured. I had objected to being subbed out, and this time it ensured our loss. I didn’t say it out loud, but I quit softball then.
From Guest Contributor Doug Hawley