55 Word Challenge
Week Thirty-Nine
Welcome back to #55WordChallenge. This week I am the judge, jury and executioner.
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. (I will announce last weeks winner Friday, but there will be a delay in delivery. I have to order more and that takes a few weeks for delivery.)
If you are an artist that would like to have your work featured, let me know!
Photo Prompt:
Shameless Plug:
Jezri’s Nightmares: A Year of Horror is a collection of 5 books, containing a total of 70 short stories. Included are all four volumes of Jezri's Nightmares: Flashes From the Grave, Tales of Terror, Psychotic Mumblings and Night Terrors, as well as MONSTERS! Available on Kindle, Nook, Kobo and Smashwords.
She’d always loved the color red.
ReplyDeleteIt oozed life, screamed incessantly about its vitality, its inescapable glare.
Its insistence upon itself was partially why she loved fire. Because fire was just as alive.
And sitting on the curb outside of her parents’ house, bristling with flames—matching her parents, it all fit together so perfectly.
55
@J_M_Blackman
You need to write in these contests more often, by which I mean weekly. This is fabulous.
DeleteLol! I love you. You do wonders for a Hal's writing ego. Thank you. Truly, I'm flattered. <3
DeleteBut where is yours?! You're just as awesome.
The End of the World (As We Know It)
ReplyDeletePete walked down Main Street past another inferno. The firefighters on the scene half-heartedly shuffled around the engine.
The sight of the empty pool hall was depressing, even worse was the image on the screen. A shuttle headed for anywhere but here, panic born from a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Pete shook his head. “Well played, Mayans.”
55 words
@Wakefield Mahon
Awesome. (Show off! :D )
DeleteThe Double Kiss
ReplyDeleteHe eyes the lush curves bent over the table. “How long you gonna break my balls, kitten?”
“’Til closing,” she says, stroking the cue with a practiced hand.
“Sweet little hustler. How about I close early and we work on your English?”
“I always say a ball in hand is worth two in the pocket.”
- - - - -
55 words / @bullishink
*cat calls* Whoo! How wonderfully lurid!
DeleteThe Omen
ReplyDeleteEvery eye watched her, and he knew she knew it.
Nerves jangled as he eyed the ring, surreptitiously slipped around the tip of the cue.
She wriggled her backside, grabbed the cue and aimed. She never noticed the sparkler spin off and fly across the room as she took the shot that broke his heart.
55 Words
@LastKrystallos
Awesome. Tragic but awesome!
DeleteGoodbye
ReplyDeleteFlames leapt into the night sky, and smoke billowed upwards. The young man stood and watched as the firemen scurried about like ants, to attempt to stop the beast that was consuming the house. Faintly, he could hear her screams above the sounds of the flames and he smiled. His work here was done.
55 words {with title}
@Angelique_Rider
Dear diary, today something wonderful happened. Jessica kissed me! I’ve always wondered what that would be like. To feel her lips touch mine. To taste them. Wow! My heart ran wild and my pulse raced just like they did when I watch the last space shuttle launch. God, I hope she kisses me again!
ReplyDelete55 words.
@LurchMunster
“Can you tell me what happened, sir?” He shifted onto his heels, glancing back at his wife who was still wrapped in the wool blanket he’d grabbed for her before the sirens wailed around them.
ReplyDelete“We knocked over a candle in the parlor and it set fire to the drapes.”
“How?”
“We were… celebrating?”
54 Words
@vatrask
Obviously a hot date! Good work :-)
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMinority Report
ReplyDelete“Hello Boss? I’m at Laurel Avenue.”
“Status? Pretty much under control, Only the roof...just damping down left.”
“Occupants? They’re fine. Staying with Grandma tonight.”
“Yes, no problems for the crew.”
“So why?... Well, it’s the cause... for the report... it’s just... a witness... kid from next door... swears it was sparks from a sleigh...”
“Boss???”
55 words
@nickjohns999
GOOD DAY
ReplyDeleteAfter a week of heat and noise, the dice had finally landed in his favor. Television reports blared over the clamor of the pub, but no one connected him to either of the featured stories. He had gotten away clean with the arson, and the evidence was off in space.
He even won at billiards.
55 words
@DavidALudwig
David
DeleteNow that's just showing off - good work! :-)
For centuries he drifted, poised between sleeping and waking. The blast of the last shuttle take-off finally shattered his dreams.
ReplyDeleteRoaring, he ripped through the earth and once more a great dragon bathed the world in fire.
Firemen stood helpless as buildings collapsed beneath the dancing flames.
The world ended. Swept clean. Ashes to ashes...
55 words
@tollykit
Beautiful, deadly.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteChristmas Crash
ReplyDeleteHendricks had been with the department for 17 years and had no problem writing up a small-craft crash report. What he was still working on was what kind of dumbass tried to convert an honest-to-gosh sleigh into a homemade ultra-light?
The charred remains of the pilot guaranteed he would be no help explaining the incident.
55 words @klingorengi
The stories I could tell… Triumph and loss, arguments and seductions, all out brawls and several – hmmm – intimate encounters, shall we say? I have stories that could curl your toes – in horror and desire, sometimes both. But since you’re listening… Could you change the light bulb in the right lamp? The uneven lighting is disconcerting.
ReplyDelete55 words
@lissajean7