55Word Challenge
Week Twenty-Four
Welcome back to the #55WordChallenge. This weeks contributing artist is William Cook. His art is amazing! It is also scary and a little bit disturbing. So of course I love it. I am sure you will find it inspiring.
That's the good news! The bad is that William is busy with several projects and can't judge this week, sooooo you are stuck with me. Boo, hiss, boo! Muahahaha! This is going to be fun.
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. The story is based on one of three photo prompts and can be written in any genre you choose. My only request is no porn. I don't want to hear graphic details. If it is erotic, make it titillating, not obscene. I know that can be done and done well.
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. If you don't want to list your email address, send it to me at jezri@writing.com. I promise I won't distribute it, but if you are the winner I need a way to notify you and to send you your prize.
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 about week and sent to your email.) Also new, I will be offering a monthly prize to the story I liked the best between the winners. That will be announced at the end of the month who gets this.
If you are an artist that would like to have your work featured, let me know!
Photo Prompts:
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| Just hanging Around |
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| In The Shadows |
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| Creepy Eyes |
Short fiction published in the following anthologies:
Masters of Horror Anthology, 2010 - http://triskaidekabooks.co.nz/
Putrid Poetry & Sickening Sketches 2011 - Collaboration of the Dead: http://amzn.com/1463748027 (+ cover art)
Sketchbook of the Dead: 2012, Deaf Mute Comics - http://www.deafmutepress.com/
Dark Light Anthology: 2012, MARLvision Publications and Carl Hose:
http://www.carlhose.net/index.html
http://www.bloodrelated.wordpress.com
Follow me on Twitter - @williamcook666
Member of the Australian Horror Writers Association & the Horror Blogger Alliance
Shameless Promo:
6 short stories that are cannibalistic in nature.If you have never read one of my collections and are looking for something to sample before buying, this would be a great addition to your library. It is FREE on Kindle, Nook, Kobo and Smashwords
FREEDOM
ReplyDeleteWhere will you go that I cannot follow?
The chair beneath my feet wobbled.
There is no safe haven left to you.
Over and over, I could hear his spite, his triumph. I would never be free until he finished with me.
Unless¬—
“God forgive me.”
I tightened the noose.
Kicked the chair away.
Freedom.
@caramichaels
55 words (without title)
That was amazing. Well done.
DeleteAgreed. Excellent!
Delete@michelawalters
ReplyDelete54 words
He’d been guarding the entrance to the crypt for nearly a thousand years. Those who didn’t heed his warning perished an unfathomable death filled with pain and emotional anguish. The curse outside was written in the blood of the chosen one, the person who was destined to return this year.
And he was waiting.
“Welcome to the Information Centre. Can I help you?”
ReplyDeleteThe man leaned into the light, staring at Marissa with one glowing crimson eye.
“Need…”
“Of course, sir. We’re here to help,” she said brightly. “What do you need?”
“Need blood…”
“You’re in luck, sir. The blood bank’s just down the street.”
51 words
@SiobhanMuir
Nighty Night
ReplyDelete“You’re too old to be afraid of the dark,” said Mother sharply.
“But the man’s going to kill someone tonight,” said Molly plaintively.
“Nonsense,” said Mother, turning off the light.
“Hello,” said the dark man, his one good eye glowing red.
After a scream and some chewing sounds, his bloody mouth smiled at Molly.
54 words {without title}
@Angelique_Rider
Hungry Eyes
ReplyDelete“Toby, we’re safe here, right?” Tessa whispered, clutching me in the shadow of the big stone cross.
“Of course we are,” I promised her. “Once the sun comes up, he won’t be able to find us. Here it comes!”
I was wrong. What I had thought was the dawn approaching…were his eyes, watching us.
55 words {without title}
ifmusicbethespiceoflife@gmail.com
DEATHWATCH
ReplyDeleteThey thought they could kill me. I thought they could too.
The floor dropped, my neck snapped and as I spun dangling euphoria flooded my being.
Finally I was everywhere. I saw everything.
From the dark corners I witnessed clandestine encounters. The entire city was now subject to my appreciative purview.
They couldn’t hide anymore.
55 words
@DavidALudwig
Immortality Stinks!
ReplyDeleteSo, you think immortality would be wonderful to have? Well, then you don’t have any business thinking at all. You just tell me, what’s so damned wonderful about watching everyone you ever loved, ever cared for…hell, even your mortal enemies, grow old, wither and die while you keep right on going? Not a damned thing!
55 words @klingorengi
“Hairy faggot!”
ReplyDeleteThey jeered.
“You thought dying it red was going to help?!”
They taunted.
“Freak!”
They goaded.
“Michael J Fox looked better!”
They’d be sorry.
It hadn’t been hard to do. The trap’d been easy.
Breaking into school was harder.
And the last laugh was on me, hanging next to the most popular girl.
55 words (Title: Tarred & Furred)
@PurpleQueenNL
“Oh my God, they’ve found me,” I say as my groceries fall to the floor. Eggs smash into a gooey mess, and oranges roll silently across the floor.
ReplyDeleteI was careful, yet they still found me. My cat, Onyx, tells the tale. His limp body hangs from the ceiling, warning me of a certain future.
Oops. My bad.
Delete55 Words
@MikeEMillerBook
I do it all the time.
Delete“Such a lovely boy.” The old woman clucks. A neighbor, Annie guesses. “Terrible accident.”
ReplyDeleteAccident.
They’ve pretended well.
She wanders off and Annie raises a trembling hand into the steel casket. She loosens Jeremy’s collar and runs a finger over the hidden, angry marks embedded along his throat.
She remembers the noose.
And wonders why.
55 words
@RGraceAllen
From Nightmare to Wish.
ReplyDeleteI stared at my own reflection, getting ready for bed; white face, red eyes, albino by birth - harmless.
Every night, the dream was the same; gray face, glowing red eyes, bloody hands - dangerous.
They shouldn’t have fired me, taken my house, or my kids.
This dream would come true, with time.
Word count; 53 (excluding Title)
@ChessnySilth
I interviewed the sole survivor of the plane crash two days earlier. Asked what had happened. He said, “Well, Captain Gordon. I looked outside and these strange, unnatural blue clouds covered everything. Above them were these eyes. Glowing red. And I swear I heard laughter.”
ReplyDeleteI shook my head. “Damn. Ming. He’s still alive.”
55 Words
@LurchMunster
"Skull Slumber Suspension"
ReplyDeleteMy bedroom is a gallows. A bent wire dangles from the ceiling, mocking slumber and sanity.
My eyelids are heavy but will not close, not until I have the wire...
So I climb my stool and feed the wire through my skull, my jaw hinge. With clenched teeth, I kick the stool away.
Sleep tight.
Joseph Bouthiette Jr.
55 words
jbouthiettejr@gmail.com
Trash
ReplyDeleteStella had to give in and wrap the suspended torso in plastic to contain the stench. She paused and smiled. Six weeks later, and she was proud she didn't give in.
"I told you I wasn't going to take the trash out ever again."
========
47 words
Guy Anthony De Marco
guy (at) GuyAnthonyDeMarco (dotcom)
He hung, his widow wept and his child sobbed.
ReplyDelete“We don’t accept no mutations round here, see?”
The child watched as the village moved away, still throwing jibes at the dangling corpse.
“Nothing different, see?”
The widow’s white hand clenched the boy’s arm and his eleven, terrified toes curled in his worn out leather shoes.
(55 Words)
@LastKrystallos
The girl lay in her bed screaming, so I waited in the cupboard for her to calm down. They always responded like this, as though my glowing red eyes indicated some foul objective. While the girl continued screaming, I said quietly, “I’m just here for your odd socks,” and padded over to her washing basket.
ReplyDelete55 words. @StuffedO
Ignore me if this is after the time frame - I'm hopeless with time zones and can't fathom what time it is in your part of the world, but wanted to play anyway.
"Left Hanging"
ReplyDeleteHe was an easy target. But all men are: so weak of the flesh.
He called me incessantly, showed at my apartment at all hours. He declared undying love.
I declared he must prove it.
He demanded I meet him and when I showed: he’d left himself as a present.
And I left him hanging.
@J_M_Blackman
55
Bahahaha! Excellent. So evil.
DeleteHmm... my comment seems to have not come up. Is it in moderation or is it the fault of my hopeless internet service provider?
ReplyDeleteI will try again. Here is my story:
The girl lay in her bed screaming, so I waited in the cupboard for her to calm down. They always responded like this, as though my glowing red eyes indicated some foul objective. While the girl continued screaming, I said quietly, “I’m just here for your odd socks,” and padded over to her washing basket.
55words. @StuffedO
I don't moderate comments, so it might be the server. It's hear now though. YAY!
ReplyDeleteThe rope creeked as it swung from the tree branch, the weight of the body pulling it towards the earth. Crows cackled, daring their brethren to land, to take the first bit of flesh.
ReplyDeleteA hand flashed out, swiping at a raven body as it flew too close. Red eyes glowed as it growled, hungry.
55 words
@solimond
#55WordChallenge is now closed! Thank you everyone for entering.
ReplyDelete