Many years ago, in the early swirling mists of the blogosphere, I used to post very, very short stories each week on my blog. Here are some of the most popular.
Flash Fiction – Social Media Anxiety
A sweet tale for this Valentine Day’s Month. * * * * * Tim wants to be your friend. Natasha sat before her computer. Sunlight peeked through the morning clouds outside her window. She sipped her coffee and stared at the screen. Tim was the cute boy she had met at the…
1. Muse
He first saw her in the middle of the city and he knew at once that she was the one. A dreamy girl with a sweet smile, eyes meeting his just as she disappeared into the crowds. He searched for her in vain. He was late for university that day. He saw her again over…
7. Goblin Cabs
“If you had the chance to change your life, would you?” It was a strange question to hear on a street corner and the guy who said it was a strange-looking guy. He wore jeans, a sweatshirt and grubby sneakers, but his eyes shone brightly and his expression was impish. “You don’t look so happy…
14. Time Travel
This week, a lighthearted tale… * * * * * “Do you want a seat?” the guy sitting by the bus window asked. “Sure,” Janey had been happy to stand, but now she saw the seat was free. The guy moved over and she perched next to him. He had a slide phone. Janey hadn’t…
24. New Years Eve
On an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, not far from the international dateline, a young man was sitting on a white sandy beach. He shielded his eyes as a tall slender girl walked across the sand toward him. “So how are you feeling?” she said, sitting down. “I keep thinking I could…
Flash Fiction – The Old Man Under the Bridge
A new flash fiction for the New Year. * * * * She ran fast through the city streets. The first fireworks were lighting up the sky. She found him under a floodlit bridge. He stood, hands in his pockets, gazing at the lights reflected on the flowing river. A ball of red and golden…
Flash Fiction 7 – Friday night drinks
“Would you rather live in the 1970s or the 1980s?” the handsome young man with the soft brown eyes leaned in closer. Katy giggled. The wine bar was so noisy on Friday nights. This guy had an unusual line of conversation. “Hmmm,” she said, “1970s.” “Interesting,” he flashed a smile and sipped his drink, “New…
20. The End of the Twenties
I’m back with another “Fiction by Numbers” tale. We are now up to number 20. * * * * * In her apartment high on the hillside above Hollywood, Lotte raised her glass of champagne to the twinkling lights of the city. The air was sweet with the scent of hibiscus and geranium. The low…
16. The Gulls
Another urban paranormal tale… * * * * * Seagulls normally flew ashore when there was a storm at sea, but that morning was fine and sunny. As Ed walked across the square in front of Circular Quay, he was amazed by the number of crisp white wings fluttering in the sky and then soaring…
13. The Underworld
This week a short urban supernatural story….! The boy was taller than the other people walking through the tunnels to the railway, and moved with a swagger that set him apart from the crowd. His hair was black as a raven. His coat was long and slightly dirty, although he did not look homeless. His…
Flash Fiction 8 – Death and Life
Living in a large city, Lana rarely recognised the strangers around her. That was why she was so surprised to encounter the two gentleman, at such different times. The first time was on a bus, late one night. The streets were dark and she wasn’t sure if she should get off the bus at Town…
Two Sentence Fiction
Two sentence stories exploring the pain of the writerly life. Sally had a file full of articles on blogging, a date planner with a blog schedule, a master to-do list, a top priority to-do list, a micro to-do list, a thumbnail to-do list and a motivational poster above her desk. But the only way she…
Flash Fiction 14. Showdown
“He is here,” Grabiel declared, staring across the bombed-out rubble of what had once been Brisbane, Australia. Grabiel swung around, twelve feet tall, reptilian skin, 600 pounds of pure fighter. With a reputation as alarming as his appearance, he was the highest ranking security official in the Earth Occupation Force. Raising his weapon to…
Flash Fiction 10 – Ghosts
“Tell me again about this ghost.” Brenda looked up from her magazine. The earnest young man who had checked in that afternoon was leaning over the hotel counter. She sighed. Tourists to this part of south-west England were always fascinated by the supernatural. “They say she’s the ghost of a mysterious woman who came to…