Category Archives: Under 300 Words

March 22, 2016

The Portrait Hall

By Kat Myrman
FFfAWUdayPic

Photo Credit: Uday, with the blog, Udayology

“Come on, it will be fun!” Shawna said, dragging me to the old abandoned building.

We were on vacation and had decided to do our own exploring away from the tour group.

The heavy door scratched the floor as we pushed it open. Inside the dimly lit room, frames of various shapes and sizes covered the walls floor to ceiling.

We moved closer. I couldn’t believe my eyes! Each frame had the image of one of my relatives. “Are you seeing what I’m seeing?”

“It’s wild! There’s my grandma…and my cousin. How is this possible?!”

“Wait a minute. You’re seeing portraits of YOUR family?”

“Yeah…every frame a different one, some I don’t even know. But they’re old. Maybe, my ancestors? This is weird!”

“What’s WEIRD is that I’m seeing all of MY family members in the frames.”

Without saying a word Shawna and I bolted for the door. Before slamming it behind us, we turned to look one last time at the daylight illuminated walls. Each frame actually contained a mirror!

Now THAT is weird!

kat ~ 22 March 2016

A story in response to PJ’s (Priceless Joy) Flash Fiction for the Aspiring Writer Challenge based on the photo above by Uday, with the blog, Udayology. If you would like to read other stories or add your own, click HERE.

 

 

 

38 Comments   |  tags: , , , | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Flash Fiction, Under 300 Words

March 18, 2016

The Mutt

By Kat Myrman
mutt

Photo Source: Pixabay

Sam never much liked that mutt tagging along, but his buddy Chuck seemed to need him so he put up with it. There were times of course, when Bart (that’s what Chuck called him) proved to be an asset, especially at night. Bart remained vigilant, warning them of approaching intruders, allowing them to sleep, a rare gift on the front. Sam grew to appreciate their tag-a-long but he kept his distance.

No one, not even Bart could have seen it coming. The bomb lurked under the path waiting for someone to trip it. Today, that someone was Chuck. Sam and Bart rushed to him as soon as they regained their own bearing from the force of the blast, but Chuck was already gone.

As the medics carried away his friend’s remains, Sam looked down at Bart, tears in his eyes. “Don’t worry buddy, you’re with me now.”

Sam never much liked that mutt, but now he couldn’t imagine going on without him.

kat ~ 18 March 2016
(162 words)

A story based on the photo prompt above for FFfAW (Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers) hosted by Priceless Joy (PJ). If you would like to ready other stories or enter your own click HERE.

29 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Flash Fiction, Under 300 Words

March 17, 2016

Touched by Lightning

By Kat Myrman
147-03-march-13th-2016

Photo Credit: Al Forbes @ A Mixed Bag

Hannah loved storms. She spent hours watching strobes of lightning, counting, “one-one thousand…two-one thousand…three…” until the thunder boomed, rattling the house.

One spring day, Hannah found herself out in the elements when a massive storm rolled in.

With no shelter in sight, she headed back through the pasture toward the road where her car was parked. “What’s a little rain,” she thought, “I won’t melt!”

Suddenly, she felt a tingling from head to toe. There was a bright flash of light. Hannah didn’t see it as much as she felt it…a massive, magnificent burst of energy in every cell of her body. For a brief moment Hannah realized she had been struck by lightning. “It doesn’t hurt,” she thought. Then everything went black.

A local farmer found her after the storm. She had survived, but her recovery would be long and painful. They say that being struck by lightning is like being cooked in a microwave oven…from the inside out!

But Hannah will tell you that she still loves storms.  Since her tryst with lightning she has developed a peculiar talent. She no longer needs to count between the lightning and the thunder…she just knows.

kat ~ 17 March 2016
(196 Words)

A story in response to the photo prompt above by Al Forbes for his Sunday Photo Fiction Challenge. If you would like to read other stories or enter your own, click HERE.

19 Comments   |  tags: , , , | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Flash Fiction, Random Thoughts and Musings, Under 300 Words

March 10, 2016

The Detour

By Kat Myrman
gardenarchway

Photo Credit: Louise at The Storyteller’s Abode

The footsteps behind her were persistent. Samantha clutched the camera bag close to her chest. Her heartbeat thudded faster, a dull drone in her ears. Each time she sped up, so did he.

“Just keep moving, Sam. You’ll find the others soon. You only left the tour group for a minute,” she told herself. The air was still, haunting, but for her footsteps and his. She started to sweat. Her lungs were gulping for air as she quickened her pace to a light jog.

The edge of the garden just ahead was surrounded by a wall. Samantha stopped, defeated, realizing the only way to return to the group was to retrace her steps. She mustered every bit of resolve she had, turned, stared intently at the ground and pushed herself forward.

He had stopped walking. As Samantha approached, she could see his shadow, long, dark, looming on the walkway just ahead. “Just walk. No eye contact. You can do this.” The top of his shadow loomed closer…closer…

“Excuse me Miss. You dropped your lens cover.”

kat ~ 10 March 2016
(175 Words)

This story is in response to the Photo Prompt for Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers (FFfAW) weekly challenge. If you would like to read other stories or enter your own, click HERE.  Thanks to PJ (Priceless Joy) for hosting this awesome challenge and to Louise at The Storyteller’s Abode for this great photo! 🙂

 

 

21 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Flash Fiction, Under 300 Words

February 16, 2016

Alien Oops

By Kat Myrman

(For the sake of the reader, the following account has been translated into English)

Photo Credit: Al Forbes

“Earth Fleet Andromeda…come in Ensign Gorp, we’ve received reports of a re-entry error.”

“Perhaps we should have delayed Ensign Gorp’s solo mission, Admiral. It’s critical that he corrects this error before the earth cows get eaten by African lions. We may already be too late!”

“Come in Gorp! This is Admiral Zing. Gorp?”

“Yes sir, Ensign Gorp sir, reporting.”

“Gorp, your mission was to return the African Rhinos to Africa and the cows to the farm on the American continent.”

“Yes sir! I recorded it in Andromeda’s flight log. Cows to Africa…oops!”

“Gorp it is imperative that you remedy this error immediately!

“Yes sir. I’m on it, sir!”

Gorp laser-lifted the Rhinos from the farm and zipped at light speed to Africa. With the rhinos returned, Gorp descended into hover mode.

As he approached a small village he spotted the cows. They were adorned with bells and flower garlands. Earthlings were dancing wildly around them. Gorp employed the atomic strobes, temporarily blinding the earthlings, and extracted the cows.

Back on the farm Joe Dudley was doing his morning walk-about when he saw them.

“Minnie,” he yelled back to the house, “you’re gonna want to see this.”

kat ~ 16 February 2016
(198 Words)

This recreation of a fictional event was penned in response to the photo prompt above by Al Forbes of Sunday Photo Fiction. Read other stories or enter your own by clicking HERE.

17 Comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Flash Fiction, Humor, Under 300 Words