If I had to describe myself, it would be in a word that has many meanings with a complexity which falls off the tongue.
A word made up of many elements, is deceptive in appearance, and creates an illusion from the imagination.
My word would be Phantasmagoric. ~Summer Ross

Friday, May 6, 2011

Flash fiction blogfest

I'm back! I have a fun, hopefully entertaining, story for you all. I'm participating in Cherie's Flash fiction blogfest today and truly cannot wait to read the other participants.


 The rules:
1. You write a piece of flash fiction 500 words and under. It can be any genre, but it must be prose (sorry, poets).
2. On Friday, May 6, 2011, everyone who joins will post his/her flash fiction piece on his/her blogs. We’ll jump around and read everyone’s fun posts. It gives you almost a month to create something.
3. Over that weekend, I’ll judge everyone flash fiction piece and pick six finalists.
4. Then I’ll announce the six finalists and everyone will have a week to vote for their favorites. The top three will win prizes.


My piece for the blogfest: Coming in at 313 words

The promise
 By Summer Ross


I was trapped in a fairy circle, a contract with the fey pending, and a candle he wouldn’t give me so I could escape. I had to think fast. If I agree to come back at the next full moon, then Toren will let me leave. If I object however, I’ll be stuck here watching Hanna die from toadstool poisoned fairy darts and then taken to Tearden. 

I watched Hanna’s body curl in on itself like a roley-poley then swell with shaky pain. Sweat stuck short strands of her blonde spikes to her forehead like glue. Her curdling screams pierced the circle of toadstools and they shuttered with ecstasy. Their mushroom tops expanding with dark red colors. I wanted to cover my ears.

“Alright Toren. I’ll be back with the next full moon. You have my word. Now give me back the candle.” I watched his miniature face twist with a wicked smile. A word can be broken right?

“It has been a pleasure Layla, but I’ll keep the candle for now.” Toren snapped his fingers and the toadstools sucked into the ground. A wave of air rushed over me, caressing me with grainy fairy dust. I shuttered realizing it was Toren’s way of claiming me. His smile widened as he placed a small bag in the pocket of his black silk shirt. He smoothed a stray white strand of hair back behind his ear and disappeared.

“Hanna!” I ran to her side and the second I touched her, the dust on my body slithered onto hers and the screams silenced.

“Layla, I thought…I would die,” she whispered. “What did you have to do to free me?”

“Don’t worry about it; let’s just get you home and safe.” I helped her to her feet and pushed the promise out of my mind. I can worry about how to get out of that later.

19 comments:

Old Kitty said...

Ooh that Toren is a meanie!!

This is a very touching and lovely scene especially between Layla and Hanna! Take care
x

stu said...

An interesting dilemma concisely told. There's some slight confusion of tenses at the start, but it's nice.

Laura S. said...

Oooo, I like it! I hope you have a part two because I want to know how she'll get out of that promise...

Jules said...

I have so missed your fairy tales, they take me to another place :) Now how did you come up with toadstool poisoned fairy darts?

Have a great weekend my friend!
Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow

Carol Kilgore said...

Cool story.
Happy Friday!

Kittie Howard said...

Beautiful!! I have the same question as Jules aboaut the toadstool darts...sooo creative! Want to know more, more!!

I gave you a shout-out on my post today!

J.C. Martin said...

Evil fairies? What a dilemma! I enjoyed the narrative, but the line "and a candle he wouldn’t give me so I could escape." confused me. Also, I believe you mean 'shuddered' rather than 'shuttered'. for the toadstools and Layla.

Michael Di Gesu said...

Nicely done, Summer.

I loved the tension and the playful wickedness of Toren,

Golden Eagle said...

I don't like the sound of Toren. At all. I hope she finds a way out of her promise!

Great writing!

Anonymous said...

Very touching tale of friendship, great imagination. Good luck in the contest.

Cherie Reich said...

Thank you for entering! I'll announce the finalists on Monday on my blog, and I'll drop back by here and give you a comment on your entry then as well.

Margo Benson said...

I loved this, Summer - totally enchanting and leaving me REALLY wanting to read more!

Nicole Zoltack said...

Oh, I liked this! Would definitely read more. :)

Unknown said...

Sounds like some very interesting things to come for these characters!

Unknown said...

Lovely. I need to get back to blogfesting!

Lana said...

great imagination.
Good luck for the blogfest. I'm also in it!

Talei said...

Wonderful! Thoroughly enjoyed, and the conflict of her having to come back... mmm what happens next? ;-)

Lisa Potts said...

Poor Hanna! That sounds like a terrible way to be tortured.
I would definitely read on.

Cherie Reich said...

Summer, I felt like a piece from a larger work or could be a larger work. I loved the dark and magical fairy world you created here. I wondered what will happen next month. The conflict was great, and it left me wanting more.

I heart comments~~ You all Rock my world!

Make your own