Wednesday, September 12, 2012

55 Word Challenge: Week Twenty-Six

55 Word Challenge
Week Twenty-Six
 
Welcome back to #55WordChallenge. Today's Judge and contributing artist is Rebecca Treadway. *Happy Dance* For those of you who don't know Rebecca, she is a fantastic cover artist. Just check out the covers to the Satan's Toybox anthologies and you will see how amazing she is. She also did the cover of Sam for me. :-) (See how I slipped in a bit of promo there. Shameless, that's me.) Rebecca is among the best in the world of indie. I know she will always tell it like it is, without batting an eye. It's that quality that puts her among the best of the best.
 
Okay, so 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, 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:
 


 
 
 
RL Treadway is a multi-genre writer in the realm of Dark Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Sword & Sorcery – and everywhere in-between. Her influences include Michael Moorcock, Robert Howard, Poe, Lovecraft, and George RR Martin. Raised in the multicultural city of Sacramento, California, she’s presently at work on a dark Urban Fantasy series, The Unfailed, with her hometown as its backdrop. The first book in the series, I Chiang is scheduled for publication in Winter 2012. You can read Rebecca's updates, rants, information on the lovely word of dark writing on her website, RL. Treadway's Inc.
 
 
Shameless Promo:
 
 
 


There is something about Gina's geometry teacher, Miss Wicker. The teenage girl can't figure it out, but all the boys in the highschool are in love with her, including Gina's boyfriend.

Then Gina discovers what the secret is and Miss Wicker decides she has to die. What is this teacher doing to the male population of the school?








 

 


 

13 comments:

  1. Recollection

    Levesque stood silent, emotion clogging his throat at the sight of the buildings before him. He recalled them as so much more than scarred, dirty brick festooned with encroaching vines and creepers. This had been a place redolent of life lived for the sheer joy of living. Now, it merely mocked what once had been.

    55 words @klingorengi

    ReplyDelete
  2. I hold my sister's hand in the empty parking lot. She clutches a bag of limp glow-in-the-dark balloons from home. She really wanted the clown to make a phosphorescent dinosaur.

    A carnival flier catches on my feet advertising last week's dates.

    We sit criss-cross on the asphalt, popping colors and twisting rubber into prehistoric beasts.

    55 words
    @SareeseFeet

    ReplyDelete
  3. I reached down, behind the fire hydrant, desperately digging through the leaves.
    Why had I chosen this spot? Because someone would recognize you at a motel, my subconscious hissed.

    I’d lost my wedding band, Lisa would kill me; then divorce me.
    The hooker I’d seen laughed at my weaving guilt, called me pathetic.

    I agreed.
    ___

    Word count: 55
    @ChessnySilth

    ReplyDelete
  4. After The Party

    One minute she was skipping home after an amazing birthday party; the next being bundled into a car to destination unknown.

    She glanced out of the rear window and saw her balloons, caught on a fence; crying she realised they were forever trapped unless someone chose to release them.

    Word Count 52 (inc title)
    @lejamez

    ReplyDelete
  5. The Fountain of Youth

    “Hurry! It’s close. We don’t have much time left!”

    “What does it look like?”

    “No one knows. Each incarnation is different, usually associated with life or water.”

    “So it could be anything? Like these trees?”

    “Yes and no. Let’s just say it has a flare for the dramatic. Hauntingly beautiful-type-stuff, but tricky.”

    “Like this?”

    “Yes!”

    55 words (excluding title)
    @lissajean7

    ReplyDelete
  6. Don't look like much, but after the long walk from work, the light in the window is a beacon to my weary soul.

    We'll fix supper together, I'll read him the day-old newspaper while he paints and we'll keep each other warm beneath threadbare blankets.

    Life ain't always a peach but I got no complaints.


    55 words / @bullishink

    ReplyDelete
  7. The town was dead, and had been for years. “For you, Jean." I found the junkyard where they’d dumped her abused, tortured, broken body. I closed my eyes. Took a breath. It was time to hand the pictures the county sheriff had taken as his sons destroyed her to the reporter. “No more lies.”

    55 Words
    @LurchMunster

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Frak. Forgot to keep the pink balloons in it... Try #2...

      The town was dead, and had been for years. “For you, Jean." I found the junkyard where they’d dumped her abused, tortured, broken body. I tied pink balloons (her favorite) to the junkyard fence. It was time to hand the pictures the county sheriff had taken as his sons destroyed her to the reporter.

      Still 55 words.
      @LurchMunster.
      Dang balloons...

      Delete
    2. Don't mock balloons, they can be very entertaining ;o

      Great piece - both of them. :)

      Delete
  8. Images flowed across the wall.
    “Rusted metal and twisted beams swallowed by time, and vegetation. Silent reminders of ancient…”
    “Yes, but what is it?” A voice interrupted the lecture.
    Eyes pinned the culprit in place and tapping the screen the professor replied, “Item 145 is an important find of religious significance. Now let’s move on.”

    55 words
    @tollykit

    This one goes with the fire hydrant.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Suffer little children to come unto me...

    “Tie balloons to the fence outside your window.” he said. “That’ll attract kids. Get the kids and adults always follow.”
    In the cold, unflinching light, shrill voices herald tiny running feet.
    My chest pounds but I force deep calming breaths.
    Sad salty sobs refresh my lost family’s memory.
    Raising the rifle, I centre the crosshairs.


    55 Words
    @nickjohns999

    ReplyDelete
  10. It wasn’t difficult to hear the rumble and hiss deep below the only vegetated patch of earth for miles, and new spirals of emerald ivy gave hope in desperate times.
    The ground shook and the hydrant finally fractured…precious water spurted then gushed and the roar of the waiting crowd drowned out the thunderous fount.

    54 Words
    @LastKrystallos

    ReplyDelete
  11. Nature is a persistent beast. In the absence of man, it encroaches on what was once his domain. He was king, but now he is only dust. He does not even have the dignity of memory, for the new king has no need for such things. It only knows to grow, reclaiming what was taken.

    55 Words
    @MikeEMillerBook

    ReplyDelete