2023 August Flash Fiction Bonanza

  • Positive Thinking

    Image by Jörg Peter from Pixabay “Positive visualization is the thing,” said her sister.  “Imagine yourself wandering carefree along the beach.  Slim, svelte, toned.  Keep the picture firmly in your mind, see it every day.  It’ll happen soon enough.” “Yeah, right,” replied Minnie, sceptically. “Yes.  Even Monica swears by it.” “Monica? What on earth does she want to…

  • Gran Knows Best

    Gary stares at the mass of wet bedclothes rocking slowly back and forth in the washing machine drum.  How on earth is he going to dry them?  Gary and Sandra had met six months ago at a Christmas party.  All his family, except perhaps gran, had liked Sandra from the off.  Especially his sister Carol. …

  • Seasons

    Image by Jörg Peter from Pixabay Moira sat in the sand, brooding, like the roiling thunderclouds in the distance.  The soothing splash of waves breaching the shore didn’t ease her mood.  All those job applications without a reply, and today, the train-wreck interview.  She knew it was going to be disastrous from the get-go.  The twenty-something woman interviewer…

  • Hot Feet

    Image by Jörg Peter from Pixabay It was one of those vile, humid city days when the heat was oppressive and inescapable.  Despite the early hour, the temperature was already ridiculously high.  The heat wave had been going on for a week and even the overnight temperatures were in the high twenties. He stood at the bus stop,…

  • White Sandals

    Image by Jörg Peter from Pixabay “Those ones?” “Which ones?” Lizzy asks. “On the turntable.”  I jab the glass, as if I am trying to attract the attention of the shoes. “I wish they would stop turning round so I can see them properly.” “But do you like them?” “I can’t tell.” “Shall we go in and take…

  • Making Moves

    Image by Jörg Peter from Pixabay Snatches of the Isley Brothers filter through the cafe’s open door.  Sitting with her Americano, ‘Who’s That Lady?’ stealthily absorbs her mind conjuring discos, heat and heartache. Sixth-form disco, twelve-thirty.  Hall curtains closed against the strong summer sun, windows open for the faint breeze.  Sweaty teenagers, ties pulled free, top buttons of…

  • Knight of the Rocks

    Image by Jörg Peter from Pixabay The wind howled and blew sand in our faces as pebbles crunched beneath our feet.  It was the second day of my family’s summer holiday and I had joined the local kids as they scoured the coast for treasure. “Listen to me!”  shouted eight-year-old Lucy, brandishing a huge bag of pick ‘n’…

  • Only Half in Shade

    Image by Jörg Peter from Pixabay July, a heatwave.  In the valley below, wind undulates across a ripening crop of barley.  A rivulet of sweat trickles down the well of my backbone.  You sit on a bench next to me in the shade of a Beech tree in Arley Arboretum.  The air sighs a potent whisper, like the…

  • Summer Frock

    Image by Jörg Peter from Pixabay Gilly only had two summer frocks. One for school and one for ‘best’. She preferred the latter, the colour of candyfloss with puffed sleeves and a bow, but only wore it when she was sent to Sunday school. The former, blue gingham with two trimmed pockets, had to be worn on Saturday…

  • A Summer Retirement, Maybe

    Image by Jörg Peter from Pixabay When a witch decides to hang up her broom, it is best she does so quietly and disappears. Else she will find she is disappeared and her broom stolen. And nobody was doing that to Griselda. She knew the horror stories. She’d sent those two brats packing with as much sweet stuff…