Fancy

France Portnawak

 A ship docked at the cruise terminal. The luxury included a VIP meal, a VIP ball, and a scare. The previous events had been so much fun, they heard. The meal was scrumptious and the ball was a lot of fun until the hall was invaded by armed men in balaclavas. Everyone laughed. It was the scare! So much fun! And then, the black tie event became a whole lot more expensive. When they were finally freed, millions had been transferred away, and the armed men were long gone. "Well, we sure got a lot more than we bargained for."

100 Word Stories

Heartbeat

 

LEA26 Resonant Osmosis

“Hush,” he said.

“They are coming.” The fear was palpable in her voice.

They could hear her, the interceptors. They could hear her breathe. They could hear her heartbeat. The vibrations of their humming resonated on the walls.

He covered her with his body. He used to be like them, intercepting to drown the resistance.

But she'd changed everything. Her eyes. Her smile, despite everything. And in a heartbeat, he wanted to protect her, to keep her alive.

The humming became distant.

"We're safe for now".

And she smiled that smile that almost made him believe he had a heartbeat.

100 Word Stories

Paranoia

 

Betelgeuse 5

He looked at the dark building. Why had they called him in? Not a transfer, he hoped. His Sector was busy but he liked it there, especially since Steve, the new mutant, had arrived. Steve always tried to outsmart the local gamblers, but he was hopeless.

"Next," someone shouted. The implant reader confirmed his ID. "Room 3, Terminations." Terminations? The door opened and there was Steve.

"OMG, Steve, am I fired?"

"Yes, you are." Steve smiled.

"But why?"

"I need someone paranoid enough to be my shadow."

The relief washed away his paranoia.

But he didn't tell that to Steve.

100 Word Stories

Broken Lightbulb

 

Time Remains - Fenris Isle

At the thrift shop, he spotted an artist's mannequin with a lightbulb for a head, leaning against a tarnished mirror. It's broken, they said. But he bought it anyway, and placed it on the mantelpiece. There was just something about that small fragile wooden figure. The next day, the mannequin was gone. Who took the mannequin, he shouted. Not me, everyone replied. He searched the whole house, and found the mannequin leaning against the full-body mirror in the bedroom. He could've sworn that there was a faint glimmer in that lightbulb. Perhaps the mannequin wasn't that broken after all.

100 Word Stories

Sharp Scissors

Milk Wood

She decorated the scissors with a tussle. Sharp but innocent-looking. Don't forget the... and she looked out the window. The sun was so beautiful. The birds were chirping. Are you listening? She wasn't. Don't forget the pack of sticky note pads of all possible sizes. One hundred of them. And don't forget to bring them in different... Colors, yes. Annoying... They would have sticky notes all over the place with sticky messages packed with stupidity. The scissors came in handy when it was time to get rid of the sticky problem... It was messy, but it was worth it.

100 Word Stories

The End?

Goblins Knob 2024

Lock the fancy suitcase with that fancy padlock you bought for a fortune.

The siren of the fire brigade just sounded noon.

Hurry down the street towards the station.

Grab some snacks from the vending machine before boarding.

Catch the bullet train to be there in time for New Year's.

And now... wait and watch the world roll by.

It's not a game. It's not a play. The journey’s end is closer.

They'll all be there. I'll surprise them with the customary SURPRISE!

Then, it'll be over. For everyone. Good night and goodbye. The year, I mean, or... do I?

100 Word Stories

Candle

 

Time Remains

It's Christmas and all that. Jolly, polly, holly, folly and anything rhyming in 'olly. Also Molly and trolley. Who, you may ask? Nevermind. Look at the candle. It's Christmas. Festive little Christmas time, where a generous portion of smiles is added to a generous portion of mockery. The fake phone calls with promises of meetings in the new year "oh, we must!", the fake pledges of friendship for all eternity "best buddies, right!". Look at the candle. It's simple. It burns. No promises. No lies. It just is. A candle. Simple. Why can't people be as simple as a candle?

100 Word Stories

Correlation

 

Wonderland 2.0

The correlation between death and peace is a difficult one. People say, rest in peace. Peace is a given for the departed. But what about those who stay behind. Ah, they have it easy, they are not dead.

The correlation between friendship and stupidity is a difficult one. How are you doing, they ask, a serious look on their faces. What does one reply? Fine, now that I have peace of mind? Or... oh, terrible, I miss them so much?

The correlation between the truth and a lie is not a difficult one. One small step, a word, and voilá.

100 Word Stories

Cool

 

Tierra de Fuego

It's a plane, the kid exclaimed, rushing to the carousel plane. His mother shook her head. I'll be a pilot when I grow up! The mother shook her head. Yesterday, you wanted to be a doctor. The kid stretched his arms, mimicking the wings of a plane swooshing through the sky. Isn't this plane cool? The mother shook her head. He'd be a carpenter, tops. When the kid from back then, already an adult, showed the mother his pilot's license, she shook her head. Crazy, dangerous job. The adult walked away, the kid cried, the mother never saw either again.

100 Word Stories

Pencil Case

Milk Wood

 She looked at the pencil case. What's in there, a nosy colleague asked. Nothing. She grabbed the pencil case. Pencils, obviously, someone said. She nodded, that too. Let them think that. Why are you carrying around a pencil case, that's for kids. Yes, for kids, she nodded. I'll give you 100 bucks if you let me look inside. She shook her head. Not in a million years would she allow that to happen and money meant nothing to her. Besides, how would she explain the ears and teeth she had collected from the guys she had buried in the marsh?

100 Word Stories