It’s time again for the 55 Word Challenge. Sorry I am late. I got sidetracked by something I was working on. Damn my one track mind.For those that are uninitiated, the 55 Word Challenge is a contest to write a story in 55 words or less. Not an easy task, but fun and I have been blown away by some of the entries. See for yourself, all the past contests can be found here.
The challenge begins at noon Eastern time every Wednesday and ends at noon Thursday. Since I was late this week, I will run the contest half an hour later, ending it at 12:30 PM. The story is based on one of three photo prompts and can be written in any genre you choose. The story is to be posted in the comment section below, along with your twitter handle or email address, so I can contact you if you are the winner.
And what does the winner get? This purty badge for one. For two, a gift card for $5.00 from Amazon. (The prize will be rewarded within a week and sent to your email.)
Nalafae scoffed at the woman leading her old friend through the trees. She didn’t resemble the people of this land, none had pale skin similar to her own. “Lakestrelandel,” Nalafae called, why do waste your time with this...confection.” “I have news for you, Nalafae,” the woman answered in a high voice. “About your brother.” 55 words @kimmydonn Four Winds
Her bare skin became damp, wrapped in the moss she leaned against. The foliage caressed her as it grew and shifted, sliding over and under, around and through. She had never been so completely held before, no lover had given her such sweetness. Her mind blossomed as the plant encasing her did, pleasure beyond measure. 55 words @angelicadawson
“That’s it?” “That’s it. The door at the end of the world.” “What’s on the other side?” “No one knows. None have ever returned.” “Surely you’ve seen when the door is opened?” “Just a bright light. Perhaps, like the priests say, it’s the gateway to Heaven.” “I guess it’s time for me to find out.”
The bark of the tree shifted as though something living moved beneath the surface. A recognizable form—a woman—grew. Her chest rose and fell. Vivid green eyes snapped open and I jumped back with a shout. She seemed trapped within the tree even as her skin became distinguishable and she stepped free, hand outstretched.
“I don’t think this’ll work,” he repeated. “Quiet. Unicorns don’t speak.” “I don’t recall wanting to be a Trojan Horse,” he muttered, his horn bumping her. “Just chant and release the seal.” “I know,” he sighed. “But they’re kids.” She tugged the reign. “You back out now and you’ll never be human again,” she warned.
Her dress brushed the ground in time with hooves clomping doggedly behind her, in time with frequent jabs at her back from a pearly horn.
She kept walking because she had no other choice. And she would follow its lead to the Virgin Bluff, where she’d be pushed her into the abyss: a necessary sacrifice.
Nalafae scoffed at the woman leading her old friend through the trees. She didn’t resemble the people of this land, none had pale skin similar to her own.
ReplyDelete“Lakestrelandel,” Nalafae called, why do waste your time with this...confection.”
“I have news for you, Nalafae,” the woman answered in a high voice. “About your brother.”
55 words
@kimmydonn
Four Winds
Her bare skin became damp, wrapped in the moss she leaned against. The foliage caressed her as it grew and shifted, sliding over and under, around and through. She had never been so completely held before, no lover had given her such sweetness. Her mind blossomed as the plant encasing her did, pleasure beyond measure.
ReplyDelete55 words
@angelicadawson
The Door at the End of the World
ReplyDelete“That’s it?”
“That’s it. The door at the end of the world.”
“What’s on the other side?”
“No one knows. None have ever returned.”
“Surely you’ve seen when the door is opened?”
“Just a bright light. Perhaps, like the priests say, it’s the gateway to Heaven.”
“I guess it’s time for me to find out.”
55 Words
@blanchardauthor
The unicorn spoke sadly. “You’re lovely.”
ReplyDelete“Thank you,” said Relenna, smiling (men loved her smile!).
“We’ve been good friends.”
Relenna nodded, listening to her gown swish (she loved that sound!). “True.”
“You remember the rules?”
She giggled, diamonds flashing (sooo pretty!), and recited them obediently. “See, I remember!”
“Not well enough, dearest. Not well enough.”
55 words
@postupak
Zerilka strode through the forest, her legs swishing through the heavy skirts. The new dress made her feel like a princess.
ReplyDeleteA princess being stalked.
Footsteps dogged her own, but each time she looked back, nothing followed.
At last she caught the flicker of a horn and a silver tail.
“Dammit! I’m not a virgin!”
55 words
@SiobhanMuir
Surprise!
ReplyDelete“Well, now, if that wasn’t the most awkward birthday moment ever then it has to be right up there.”
“Just shut up and keep walking. I can’t believe my parents gave me a unicorn!”
“Hey, everything was fine until you decided to ride me around. That’s not my fault.”
“Will you please just stop talking?!”
55 words @klingorengi
The bark of the tree shifted as though something living moved beneath the surface. A recognizable form—a woman—grew. Her chest rose and fell. Vivid green eyes snapped open and I jumped back with a shout. She seemed trapped within the tree even as her skin became distinguishable and she stepped free, hand outstretched.
ReplyDelete@caramichaels
55 words
Sarenda wandered through the forest, the hem of her dress dirty from brushing the ground. The thud of hooves behind her as the beast followed behind.
ReplyDelete“Next time, try not to get so much blood on you. I know the lord was a screamer but one hoof to the head would solve that.”
“Yes, mistress.”
55 words
@solimond
“I don’t think this’ll work,” he repeated.
ReplyDelete“Quiet. Unicorns don’t speak.”
“I don’t recall wanting to be a Trojan Horse,” he muttered, his horn bumping her.
“Just chant and release the seal.”
“I know,” he sighed. “But they’re kids.”
She tugged the reign.
“You back out now and you’ll never be human again,” she warned.
55 words
@Afsaneh_Dreams
“We have to climb to the top?”
ReplyDelete“No, follow me.”
I followed him along the side of the water tower – too afraid to lag behind. Ivy stretched all around, like eerie creeping fingers in the moonlight.
“Here,” he whispered. “The Fairy Kingdom.”
I opened the door. He pushed me in.
Fairy Kingdom it was not.
55 words
@JessaRusso
Her dress brushed the ground in time with hooves clomping doggedly behind her, in time with frequent jabs at her back from a pearly horn.
ReplyDeleteShe kept walking because she had no other choice. And she would follow its lead to the Virgin Bluff, where she’d be pushed her into the abyss: a necessary sacrifice.
@J_M_Blackman
55
55 Word Challenge is now closed. Thank you everyone for entering. I will try and have the results announced by 10:00.
ReplyDelete