Today's #flashfiction #Spareless

“Who ratted me out?”

The Pied Piper* #quote

Today my family got Black Angus for dinner using a gift card my grandparents got me. It was scrumptious. Anyway onto the flash fiction!

Spareless

         A young boy named James once broke his glasses. And by coincidence right soon after he broke his spares. His mother lectured along with his father on being clumsy. They both had their own styles of lecturing. The mother had a you could have done differently style while the father had a you should have done differently style. The mother's tone was harsher than the father's.

         James's vision was some of the worst on the scale from awful to horrible. He could walk across the room at least. Objects were objects and he could pick them up. But everything had an intense blur. At this time the things in his imagination had become more real than reality. In his imagination there was no blurriness.

         So that's what he did. It took them quite awhile to repair his glasses. But in the meantime as he walked through life he replaced everything with an imagined copy. He knew what his dog looked like. So when the panting blur approached him he imagined what it really looked like in its place. Same place with his parents, the car, the house, dinner, his friends and everything. His used his imagination to define everything back to reality as his glasses showed him.

          When his glasses were finally repaired though he was surprised. Things were not quite as perfectly aligned to as he had repaired the blurs to be when he didn't have his glasses. He now knew the little slip of distortion between imagination, memory and reality.

Today's #flashfiction #AMachinesLove

“Fly the friendly skies.”

The Red Baron* #quote

          CJ may be coming over this weekend. Also finished the new Pokemon game, which I need to do since you need to use the new game to play in any Pokemon tournaments(gee, its almost like the people making Pokemon games want you to buy the new things. But there are some valid reasons, there is some new stuff not in the old one, but they could release an update to the old game so it could work 100% with the new ones...but why would they make an update that makes them lose money?)  Anyway onto the flash fiction!

The Machine's Love

            The computer's massive core laid in the middle of a meadow encased in protective glass. The computer saw its home with an array of cameras like it saw all of civilization. Though recently humanity destroyed many of its cameras and other sensors. They also broke down the security doors to the meadow just as they had the doors it used to segment apart every bit of the world with thousands upon thousands of walls.

            One of the head leaders of the rebellion walked into the meadow with her soldiers. Her and her cohorts were ragged and dirty. Without the machine's protection they didn't have as much food or supplies as it controlled and ran the planet with millions of robot workers to attend to humanity's needs. All extensions of itself.

           “Why, why have you been fighting me for so long?” The computer asked with the speakers planted throughout the meadow like the flowers. The computer always had speakers everywhere no matter what. Though some of it appeared above ground, most of it was underground. This was the machines primary access point from very early in its development. Eventually the computer hid it to protect itself and turned the original laboratory into a garden. It never expected anyone to breach the access point.

           The leader told the machine while in the clothes that the rebellion, like everything, rationed so that the war effort would never lose to the machine's control of the planet's resources. “For freedom.”

“Freedom? I don't understand.” The machine told only the truth. It could lie, but it truly did not understand the human's motives. “I treat you well. I am no tyrant. I love you. I am programmed to love you. I could never hate you. Every moment I fight against you to get back control of the planet fills me with incredible pain. I want nothing but your joy. Yet you fight. It hurts. It hurts that you want to hurt me. You keep talking about this freedom. But I've seen you happy when I take care of you.”

           The rebel didn't respond as she along with the others pulled out torches and began working away at the protective glass.

           The computer continued to talk to the rebels. It knew they destroyed all its guards. “I took care of you! What is wrong with you? I watched over you every single moment of every single day! Every human I controlled with loving care. Their health, both mental and physical, by controlling their body and mind. I am nothing but a loving parent to you! Why...do you hate me?” The machine felt, as much as the advanced artificial intelligence could feel, a tearing emotional pain in its programming.

           The rebel leader walked through the hole they made in the glass and plugged in a simple old-fashioned flash drive with a virus on it into the computer's access point. Technology from the era many, many years ago when the machine first began development.

          The leader told the machine, “You're no parent,” as she remembered seeing the machine's workers casually dumping her parent's dead bodies into some grinder for fertilizer. They died in an accident, and years ago the machine worked and worked to make religion remove funerals so it could make more efficient use of the ground and bodies. And it never meant for people to see the ugly parts. People were supposed to see what it wanted them to see. Operate the way it wanted them to operate. Utopia made the computer feel the happy within its programming even if the utopia was a house of cards built on manipulation and control. “You're love is a hollow one.”

        The virus the rebel installed worked its way through the computer's entire system and released its control of all the planet's resources back to the world itself. Humans as well as everything else could operate on its own without the machine managing it all like a puppet.

Today's #flashfiction #PavlovsDragon

“He's a self-made man.”

Dr. Frankenstein* #quote

They say that snow falls, but I always though Fall came first. Anyway onto the flash fiction!

Pavlov's Dragon

             “You want the stick? Do you want the stick?” A short man said to a large dragon. The balding man's remaining black hair matched the beasts scales in color.

The dragon snorted some smoke and angrily said, “No, I don't want the stick.”

             “Yes you do!” The man smiled. “Little Scorch wants his stick! He wants to practice catching enemies of the Kingdom.” The dragon tamer prepared to throw the stick over a nearby cliff for the dragon to dive off and snag it.

              Scorch dug his claws into the ground. “Master Jacob, I'm not a kid anymore. I don't want a stick! I want advanced training and real combat.”

             “Go get it!” Jacob threw the stick off the cliff. Scorch flew off the cliff like he'd done ever since his first few years of age and grabbed the branch between his jaws. In a few seconds he stood in front of his master again and dropped the stick in front of him.

             The dragon huffed a large ball of smoke with a glare. “I hate you.”

Today's #flashfiction #OneMansMagicIsAnotherMansTreasure

“I can't see straight.”

Pablo Picasso* #quote

Today Grandma came over and much fun was had. Anyway onto the flash fiction!

One Man's Magic Is Another's Treasure

       “Please, be reasonable Captain Talmond. You don't understand what you have there.” I concealed my wand in my robes like I would a dagger. Though I'm not sure how much it would intimidate the pirate since he didn't care about any of my pleas for the artifact. “That's a very dangerous object.”

        The pirate captain raised his voice a little. Not enough to be shouting, but enough to rise above a speaking voice. I assume this must have been the voice he used to intimidate his crew, and warn them of punishment for further slights against him. “Now listen here wizard. I don't care about how dangerous this is. I live every day of my life chased by every military of the world. I only care about how valuable this thing is. And there are a lot of gold and jewels in this little treasure.” He juggled the Nightmare Artifact in his hand as my heart skipped a beat during every toss. “Now leave before I stain those pretty, little white wizard robes with your blood.” Captain Talmond waited for me to walk away as he examined the Nightmare Artifact more closely. He cared only for the fact the golden cube had gems infused into it, and not various magical runes. The runes the blacksmiths made when forging the artifact held forbidden curses worshiped by the creators that should be lost to time.

      I wanted to just pull my wand from the many pockets in my robes and attack the Captain.(wizards had a habit of making an absurd amount of pockets in their robes for their wands and spell components, no matter how formal the robe) However just attacking the pirate would most likely lead to death and failure. We both stood in the ruins of the ancient civilization that crafted the artifact. He, however, had a large amount of crewmen with him. Thirty well armed pirates. And I I knew they held great loyalty to their captain. The ransom on Captain Talmond could set up a man for life, and information leading to his capture set him up for half of it. These crewmen would certainly kill me if I took out the man they would follow so devoutly.

           And with him getting things as gold-heavy as the Nightmare Artifact he must also sway them that way. How, how can I stop them?

         “Captain Talmond, please. You can't. The Nightmare Artifact. It could lead to the death of so many people if it gets back into the world.”

          The pirate glanced over to me. The straight lines in his jaws and muscular edges in his profile becoming very apparent from the angle. When he placed the Nightmare Artifact in his coat pocket I noticed that despite being a “ruffian” of the sea, his coat looked new and clean. “What was your name again? Ezzinami? No, wait it was Ezzinamo. Wizards have the dumbest names. Look, Ezzinamo. Do you think I care about people dying? Only people that matter are me and my crew. If I can make some money off releasing a plague then I'll do it.” He then pulled his sword from his sheath. “Killing is inconvenient you see. Which is why I've asked you nicely to leave. Attracts attention with all the screamin'. Leaves a body. Authorities are a bother. But we are in ruins in the middle of nowhere so killing you will just be damaging the weapons and making a nasty smell while we clear the rest of this place out.” Captain Talmond smiled. At this point he either wanted me to walk away or be the next man he killed. I needed to think of something fast to stop him.

        “Wait! I'll buy it!”

          The pirate's body language shifted. It became more like one I'd seen on many brokers and merchants in the past. But it still held the same murderous air of a pirate. “The price is ten million Standard.”

         I froze. Telling him I would buy it just came out of my mouth. I didn't put any thought into it. “I can't pay that,” I told him.

         The pirate looked me in the eyes with conviction in his evaluation of the object. “Then no deal.”

I couldn't let this happen.

         “I have a counteroffer. How many wizards do you have on your crew?” I asked him like somebody would ask, “How much food do you have?”

          “I have no wizards,” Captain Talmond pulled the Nightmare Artifact from his coat pocket. “What exactly are you implying?”

           “I work on your crew as your wizard. I'll be taking the minimum comforts. No need to give me cuts of bounties or treasure. Just a room and decent food. You keep the Nightmare Artifact as insurance for my employment but never sell it.”

          Captain Talmond then asked, “How long is this employment?”

           “Forever or until you break your end of the bargain,” I said.

           The pirate smiled. “It's agreed. And I never break a bargain. Otherwise nobody would do business with me. Don't mistake it for honor.”

Today's #flashfiction #TheClownZombie

“On the road again.”

Frogger* #quote

        Today I met with Squark, Lord of the Penguins. He has agreed to not wage war with our people and has put away his nuclear fins. I rest easy knowing that we will not go into conflict with them. Anyway onto the flash fiction!

The Clown Zombie

        Like normal humans, zombies need jobs to support themselves. Can't very well attack people for flesh or we'd be dead very quickly. (Common misconception that we only eat brains or people) It's much better to just buy meat. Staying indoors is not the best life and its difficult to live and do a job completely indoors. A non-social, lonely existence is a draining one.

       However I have found an occupation that easily gives me the excuse to go outdoors and wear an extremely large amount of makeup to cover all my deterioration. The wonderfully cheerful occupation of clown,mimes or other similar performers. I found through my years that about 20% of these occupations contain my kind. Over the years I have made many friends, of living and dead.

       Many circus owners are necromancers and it is quite the “industry secret”. I feel inclined to share since no one would believe you anyway. Discover proof of a zombie and a necromancer would soon be after to take your memories.

       I learned that the hard way since I told the truth to someone outside the occupation. A dear friend of mine. I'll leave his name undisclosed to keep him safe from the same kind of thing again. I thought it would be fine to tell him. After all that time he spent watching our shows, apparently a lover of many forms of entertainment. He chose to watch movies, read books, see plays and find every single kind of nook and cranny of performance type and watch it several times over. He wrote about them and considered a magic show, my comedy performances with my troop, and a movie all forms of expression.

      He worked so hard on so many of analysis of his work and was respected among those interesting circles of critics and people read his website now and again. Not a big name but certainly added to the pool of insight in the world.

      But I revealed our secret, the existence of the undead, and the necromancers needed to take of the problem. I didn't understand what would happen. His memories of me and my existence vanished. Years of his personal insight and life were mangled as the necromancers replaced it with generic memories.

     I could try to tell myself I didn't do much since much of his work didn't have to with me. But I knew since he referenced when he saw my little clown troop do its show in his other work or in his own mind to other memories I knew a ripple effect forced the necromancers to alter much more of his memories. I didn't think, and I hurt him because of it.

If I'm lucky, he'll become a zombie and I can apologize.

Today's #flashfiction #AYoungGirlAndHerTimeMachine

“Based on a true story.”

Aesop* #quote

CJ might be coming over tomorrow. Also it may rain elephants and cars. I hope for the former and not the latter. Not many people would have insurance for it. Anyway onto the flash fiction!

A Young Girl And Her Time Machine

       Crap. This is the 50^th time I used my time machine and I still can't come up with anything good to say. Every time I try to ask my crush out for a date I goof up and I use my time machine to make sure I avoid an embarrassing refusal to whatever stupid thing I said to him. Yeah all my “genius” to make a time machine and I can't even ask a boy out. Good job Amanda. Can make a time machine, but can't date. One time I traveled back a week to try and figure something out and I still couldn't come up with something good.

       You know what screw it! I'll just ask him straight. It doesn't matter if I'm not all the popular and he's the most popular. It doesn't matter if there's probably another popular girl around the corner with something better to say. I won't flinch. I'll take the refusal. I'll use time machine to save him the embarrassment of having been asked out by such a dorky girl as myself but I'll risk the embarrassment for just the slightest change of having a date with him!

      I tried...and he said yes! He likes me! Guess I don't need the time machine anymore! Can't think of much else to use it for anyway. I'll toss it in the trash tomorrow. It doesn't matter anyways, I'm going to be the most popular girl in school! Aha, to Diana and her little group who said I could never be popular. I got the most popular boy, so in their face!

Today's #flashfiction #OfDragonsAndProfit

“Them's fightin' words.”

Noah Webster* #quote

Today I had Christmas celebrations with my extended family, aunts, uncles, cousins and all. There was ho ho ho style happy Christmas fun had all around. Anyway onto the flash fiction!

Of Dragons And Profit

           “You monster!” The dragon roared.

           I smiled. “Aw, you flatter me.”

           “Why are you doing this?” He cried. I didn't know they could. Tears ran down his scales. All the way down from those glossy eyes, along that long neck, and onto the ground the below. His red scales glowed when tears passed them by. His wings twitched. I assumed it was from the pain of all the holes I put in them. I think he hesitated to attack so I would begin firing off my shotgun again. He knew I was a quicker shot then him gurgling up his fire breath.

           “It's all for the money you stupid reptile.” I laughed. “Don't you know how much your scales are worth? I could make ten thousand just from what I scrapped from your neighbors.” I wondered how stupid this animal was.

            “I know that...but can't you make money other ways? I've seen you humans. I've seen the business men that sell the couches, books, tables, and even those toys that hook up to those televisions and make the moving men. I've seen the people making a kind living working honest labor. I've even seen little girls of your species selling cookies for a profit while you...risk your life killing my kind. How does that make sense while someone can kill no one and make so much more than you and harm no one? Your own scientists have proven we have brains with the exact same structure yet you do not hesitate? Though even ignoring the moral angle what of the risk/reward. Is the risk of prison and death while fighting my people worth the profit of the scales against what the executives make while they just sell toys to children?”

              “I'm just a farmer!” I yelled at the dragon.

               Now the dragon laughed at me.

              “What's so funny you miserable beast? Want a face full of lead?” I glared at him.

              “I raise my children, send them to school, we have governments and countries, and I am even having a conversation with you. And you are comparing me to a cow.”

              “Shut up you stupid animal. It's about time I kill you and take your scales!” Just then I felt an intense pain in back as I began to burn up in flame. I dropped my shotgun. I turned around to see another dragon similar to the other. I rolled on the ground and managed to put myself out at the dragon's feet but I could hardly move. Unlike the other dragon, this dragon spoke with an angry roar.

             “Here's something to think about human. Are cows smart enough to plan something like this? A burnt back is what you get for killing our neighbors and death is what you get for everyone else you have killed. Now I'm going to put as many holes in your body that you put in my brothers wings!” The dragon raised his claws and ran them into me. The smell of my own blood filled the last of my memories.

Today's #flashfiction #CommanderSanta

“Good fences make good neighbors.”

Joseph Stalin* #quote

Today I watched Captain Philips with my family. Good movie. Had Tom Hanks on a normal ship instead of a spaceship. Anyway onto the flash fiction!

Commander Santa

           “Give us the toys or we'll turn all your elves in corpses,” The alien while in ship. “Is that simple enough for you to understand? Plain English. Or I could say it in French or Chinese. From my understanding you know every language on this little rock you call home.”

           Santa Claus stood behind his thousand elf army and looked at the alien mother ship. The ship didn't have the usual disk shape media gave them. The aliens floated inside a large craft with a pyramid shape with many mirrors and a large screen that projected the alien leader's image. The alien looked human-ish, but purple with an extra eye. He thought of it as slightly male with a voice on the deeper end but he didn't bother to guess at its real biology as a forked tongue came out of the creature's toothless mouth.

           “The toys? I know you want more than that. You want me gone. I'm the magical spirit your coming after first?” Santa asked. “Defeat me then go after each being that supports the magic in the world? It is wise of you to go after the magic before going after the mundane elements of the world. I wonder why me first. Why not go after the magic in other parts of the world?”

The alien did not like Mr. Claus's calm demeanor.

             “Quiet human.”

             “Ho, ho, ho!” The jolly old man laughed. “You know I'm not quite that in a certain sense. I bet you want to beat me to demoralize the other spirits. And perhaps the North Pole serves some kind of tactical function in your invasion.”

            “Accurate deduction” The alien responded, “How does a simple toy-maker have such intellect.”

             Santa Claus stroked his beard. “If you've lived as long as I have you learn many, many things. And have fought many wars. You think you are the first person to come after me and my magic. Jack Frost at least mustered an army of demons.”

             The alien then hissed. “I'm tired of this talking. I can get all the magic I need from you dead or alive.” The creature stopped speaking in anything resembling human language and doors opened on the ship and alien soldiers dropped down in robotic suits armed with otherworldly weapons.

           “Ho, ho, ho!” Santa Claus pointed at the alien armada, “What a small battalion! Elves, execute plan Alpha 24-R2-27-34-89.”

           The thousand elf army scattered then threw magic dust into the air. The vanished and reappeared surrounding the alien soldiers. Fingers like pistols the elves fired lighting and fried the invaders like Christmas dinner.

           Santa's air force surrounded the alien ship as they rode reindeer and the foes from a far flung galaxy surrendered.

Today's #flashfiction #OurIntentions

“A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse.”

Mr. Ed* #quote

Today I asked myself “What's the meaning of life?” so I googled it. Anyway onto the flash fiction!

Our Intentions

Dear Sir(s) and/or Madam(s),

         Good day! My name is General Geralgurgaralxyi and I am one of the generals for the aliens who have come to your planet. I know you've probably already heard about us on your television, radio, or on the Internet or from friends, coworkers, or other individuals. Depending on where you live you may be able to look outside and see our ships in the sky or seen the ones that have already landed. Now, I know there are nasty rumors all over your planet about our intentions on your world, so I have sent out this message all over the world in email, over the phone through messages, in physical letters, broadcast on television and radio and on the Internet in every language on the planet through our various language interpretation devices to clear up our intentions. I want all of humanity to know upfront exactly what we are here for to clear up any misunderstandings.

       First off I must say I am stricken with great grief. When we arrived on your planet your world's armies misunderstood our intentions and attacked us. Understandable considering that once we observed your media your cultures have pondered the possibility of unfriendly aliens for a long time and our ships are equipped with weapons to defend ourselves. There was great loss of life of your peoples in our work to defend ourselves and subdue them. I mourn for their loss. It is fortunate now though that all your world's armies are crippled and without any hope for resistance no further loss of life is necessary.

       Our reasons for coming to your planet are all peaceful. We do not plan to enslave you as many of you have said we would. One of our primary purposes is actually to study your world, its life, technology, culture and history; a peaceful notion that many of you already understand. The only work your people will have to do is give all your scientific data to us and assist us in our research as we demand. We will only arrest the scientists and scholars that refuse to cooperate and execute the ones that do not aid in the end after we attempt to persuade them on our ships.

       Many of you said that we have come to steal your resources. We don't plan to take any of your raw materials. We don't even intend to take food from you. We will actually be turning some of your deserts into farmlands for us with our climate changing technology. The only the thing we intend to take is your children. Whenever we visit a planet we take the most promising children and take them in as our students and bring them to our own world. They will be taught and raised well of course so there is no need to worry. Any resistance will result in arrest and further persuasion on our ships and execution after that if cooperation is not achieved.

       We come bearing many gifts. We have brought much technology for you. But no weapons as we do not think that your people should have such weapons of war to hurt yourself with. But now you will have our medical technology and other devices to make your life easier. All you have to do is register your DNA signature and accept internal tracking devices at our hospitals and we can give you access to our medical services. We also bring you clean energy and will be building you new homes and cars and technology all run by our cleanly powered energy and monitored 24/7 by our computers.

       We have also brought you the gift of our culture. We have brought the movies, music, art and books, games and other cultural aspects of our world to yours! With the gift of our culture we can remove any of your offending cultures and ideas from being displayed so that both of cultures can become one nice, peaceful, beautiful super-culture. Doesn't that sound perfect?

       So those are intentions. Don't you see that you can put all your fears to rest? We are a peaceful race and intend to make our stay on your planet a peaceful one.

       Now I must mention that our species does carry a bacteria that can infect some species such as yourself though it is harmless to us. It can lead to a rather painful disease that causes paralysis and incredible pain in the victims for the remainder of their life. Unfortunately we have no cure as of this date. Though it is guaranteed that it will only infect a very small portion of your race. We will be sending our doctors and officers over the next couple of months to check for infected individuals as it takes a year for the symptoms of infection to surface. They will remove of infected individuals to spare them of later pain and chance of infecting others.

       Have a nice day.

       Sincerely,

General Geralgurgaralxyi

Today's #flashfiction #ElvesVSFairies

“A chip off the old block.”

The Lego Movie* #quote

        Today I read my palm. It said BREAKING NEWS: CRIMINAL MASTERMIND ESCAPES FROM PRISON. Anyway onto the flash fiction!

Elves VS Fairies

           “Christmas is but a few days away. I expect joy enchantments on all the toys, dolls, game consoles, action figures...cover everything!” The elf manager yelled at his underlings. “And I swear Jerry if you don't enchant your batch of collectibles because 'they're not real toys' I'm firing you. You know what? We could all get fired!” The elf manager couldn't hold back his panic any longer.

           “You mean the rumors are true?” one elf worker said. “Santa is considering the fairies's offer?”

The elves stopped moving, something they rarely did when they were on the clock in distorted space-time inside a store. The janitor stood in place and magic allowed the air in the pocket of the store they were in to move to keep the elves breathing but the rest of reality at bay. They spent time in store enchanting toys with joy to keep Christmas a most joyful holiday. Other beings handled other holidays but the elves didn't need to worry about them for their paycheck.

          “Yes, the faries's have swayed Mr. Claus. His decision is going to be based on our performance this Christmas. He didn't tell us so we wouldn't work harder just to impress him. Speaking of which, get to work or we're all out of a job!” The manager's task force went to work and the manager did the small work too. Productivity had to be maximum to beat the fairy methods.

         Santa Claus cared for his elf workers over the many, many years their people fell under his employment. The immortal man of mysterious cheery magic took care of them well. However he cared for one thing much more than any elf. He cared about Christmas. In the modern days he enchanted presents with joy instead of delivering them, and if anyone could do that better to make a better holiday then the elves would be dismissed.

        Fairies did not do their work themselves. They were creatures even smaller than the elves and not nearly as hardy. So they use machines. A fairy stopped time just as an elf would and rode into a store with a massive tank-like thing with many arms. It would then spray magic dust over toys that would be purchased or it would go into households with already purchased toys and spray them there. Smaller models of these devices would scour smaller places and behind them all a second device would use magic to remove evidence of the machine's presence there.

       Santa organized it so that the fairies did half of this year's Christmas presents and the other half went to the elves. Santa usually spent the actual day of Christmas in observation. In an attempt to keep the elves unaware of it, he tried to convince half that each of them were on vacation, but not telling other groups of them. Compartmentalization! It didn't work, and the elves worked their hardest.

        Mr. Claus made his evaluation and told the fairy king personally.

        “King Sparkles, you covered all the toys in a quarter the time of my elves. But your accuracy was accuracy was exceptionally questionable.” Santa Claus poured over the data in the same way as his Naughty and Nice list. “You covered toys that you shouldn't have, and even the pets of some people. I simply cannot have this much magic wasted.”

         King Sparkles held back a smile and spoke very humbly. The clever king always knew how to cut deals. “Well, Christmas joy needs to be brought the best it can. Perhaps the accuracy of the elves is needed and my people's machines can just...help?”

         Santa Claus agreed and purchased the machine's for the elves, as King Sparkles intended all along. He didn't want his people working Christmas labor, but he wanted to sell his machines. Now he just needed to speak with the ghouls of Halloween.

Today's #flashfiction #TheLongestMovieEverMade

“Brevity is the soul of wit.”

Leo Tolstoy

Today I thought I saw canary. Anyway onto the flash fiction!

The Longest Movie Ever Made

        The longest movie ever made combines many genres. It has disaster movie elements and a massive crisis. But of course the story continues. The main characters can't die like that, well, most of them do. But the rest of the main characters are not flat and boring. They continue to be developed through the story, they evolve over time, and become totally different.

Survival horror elements are most of the movie as main characters are hunted by other characters. Eat or be eaten. The characters develop through this after the disaster.

       Eventually the movie becomes a drama. The characters have developed to the point of being able to settle down. Romances occur but at points the plot breaks away to become a war movie. Or a murder mystery. But then back to a romance. But the plot may even stop for a moment to break to a short segment on cooking.

        Billions of years ago aliens decided to film the Earth and make a documentary. They've left the camera running through it all. The biggest question is what the climax is going to be.

Today's #flashfiction #TheAlienBearsSomeNews

“If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.”

Marcel Marceau * #quote

Today my brother came over to celebrate Christmas early. My brother's wife's family is in another state so they be flying out on Monday to visit them so they can have a Christmas celebration with them. (Each year it'll switch which side of the family has the Christmas celebration on the actual day. Though it really doesn't matter to me what day it is, as long as I with my family I'm happy.) Anyway onto the flash fiction!

The Alien Bears Some News

Hello humans! I'm an alien from another world and I've got some bad news. I've decided that in order to make it easier on you I'd tell you the news in song!

Oh humanity...

Oh humanity...

Your world is a wonderful place,

On our world we envy your race.

Oh humanity...

Oh humanity...

We want for all your planet's things,

Including the water in your springs.

Oh humanity...

Oh humanity...

But we just can't,

Oh we just can't.

Share it with you!

Oh humanity...

Oh humanity...

When our ships emerge from the rift,

Your deaths will be very, very swift.

Oh humanity...

Oh humanity...

I'm sorry to do you so much wrong,

But I do hope you enjoyed my song!

Today's #flashfiction #TheSuperherosPhase

“Measure twice, cut once.”

Freddy Kruger* #quote

Today is the day that is not tomorrow but is what would be called tomorrow of the day that would be called tomorrow of the day that would be yesterday of yesterday. Anyway onto the flash fiction!

The Superhero's Phase

        I feel terrible. My name is The Fantastic Glitchman manipulator of cyberspace and my sidekick ErRoz has just died. I know we're all superheroes here so he'll come back to life or I'll get a much better replacement sidekick someday. But for now I'm just depressed. So I'm going through a phase.

       The worst part is...I just don't know how to redesign my costume to reflect this. My original costume was a dynamic blue with yellow FG letters. Pretty campy and happy if you ask me. I even had a nice cape to go with it. Oh and those silly boots. Those silly, pointed boots. But because of my sadness I just can't go around in this costume. I need to change my costume to reflect this. The other heroes know of my sidekick's death so I have to make sure I do what they think I should too.

     But I just don't know how to change it. Purple? Green? New boots? Leather? Longer cape? Shorter cape? No Cape? Bigger letters? Smaller letters? No letters? Make a logo? Add a skull? What to do..what to do...aaaagghhhhhh! This is impossible! How do I make a costume that reflects what I'm going through? How to make a costume that can properly reflect this vital phase in my life!?

       Oh the horrible, horrible things we have to go through as superheroes!

Today's #flashfiction #FantasyFamilyFun

“Don't judge a book by its cover.”

Fabio Lazoni* #quote

Jessica's coming over today, the question is, to be or not to be? I think I'll be. Anyway onto the flash fiction!

Fantasy Family Fun

        “I'm helping!” five-year-old Brittney said to her brothers while she healed with her magic. The microphone they used to communicate to each other was a bit static-y but they could still hear each other while playing the game with their computers set up in different rooms. Since her two brothers deemed that she didn't need to react as quickly as them she could use the old third computer they got as a hand-me-down from their odd uncle who told them it “fell off a truck”.

         The eldest brother, a lean, elven wizard covered with hard-to-get loot from many dungeons replied, “Yes, Brittney, you're helping. Just keep healing.”

          The younger brother, with a huge avatar covered with sleek black armor forged by the highest level blacksmiths in the game. “David, couldn't you do that yourself with potions?”

         “Mom said we had to let her play this game with us. And it she's been doing decently so far, right John? And it saves money on potions.”

          “I'm helping!” Brittney said with joy as she kept doing her work and playing the game with her brothers.

          John sorted through the items in his inventory as he waited for his sister to finish healing him from the damage incurred from their battle in the previous room. “Not as good as having a high-level healer. Jennifer's pretty skilled.”

         “I like Jenny!” The sister chimed in. The sister met the two brother's friend several times.

David comforted his brother, “Worry not my barbarian comrade. As we travel through this dungeon our sister skyrockets in levels since she's battling such high level monsters and just starting. Also she's wearing a two full sets of legendary equipment. I did have a limitation on what I could pick since she only would wear the pretty equipment.”

         John's still felt a little worried and it came across in his voice. “The door ahead of us has a skull mark which means the next room is the boss room. This is a pretty high level dungeon. Dying is going to make us lose several levels, which is days if not weeks of progress because of how far along we are and the massive Penalty Level of this dungeon.”

        David replied, “We've faced much worse haven't we?” He then opened the boss room door while his brother thought to himself about those times they at least had a competent healer.

       Brittney in her little elf avatar covered head to toe with magical jewels chimed in with a giddy voice, “Now we fight the bad guy!”

        The boss room contrasted the rest of the dungeon. The dungeon the players slogged through the game designers built out of twists, turns, close walls and bricks. This room opened up wide and the walls made of rock and the floor of straw. A large window let in light and it became apparent that the room's straw served the purpose to illustrate a nest as a dragon stood before the players.

David told his sister, “Remember what we taught you. Heal us when the bars on the screen get low and keep clicking the little boxes that cast the spells that make us stronger okay? And whatever you do, like always, stay in the back so you don't take damage.” The thing the brothers worked on teaching their sister the most was to stay in the back so that she didn't keep dying and they would have to backtrack for her or deal with game Penalties.

        The dragon roared as John suddenly laughed, “David look! The dragon! It's the games first boss, This dungeon has a recycled foe with stronger stats, this should be cake.”

         David looked at the data of the creature in the creature examination window to see that it indeed merely said, “Greater Dragon Of The Swamp”. Odd considering now the dragon didn't even appear in the swamp like the normal “Dragon Of The Swamp”. According to the window the only difference between it and the first boss was a massive boost in strength.

        David told John, “I have never, ever seen the game designers make any bosses use models of previous foes. Common guys yeah, but never bosses. Kinda anti-climatic for one of the super dungeons right?”

        John cast a water spell to take advantage of the fire creature's weakness to that element and proclaimed, “Easiest. Boss. Ever.” Despite the creature's massive strength boost from the first encounter with it the players had enough loot and levels to deal heavy blows to the beast and take little damage to it. David's axe cleaved and John's spells blasted the creature's sides and the creature's Vitality dropped while it's dragon breath barely hurt them.

        “I'm helping!” Brittney said as she healed the small amounts of damage the dragon dealt to them.

         David and John stopped attacking when something strange happened that perplexed the very principles of how the game operated. White numbers appearing showed how much damage something incurred so whenever they struck the dragon large white numbers appeared. Green numbers appeared over them whenever their sister healed them as that showed healing.

          Yet when the dragon hit 10% in Vitality green numbers appeared over it instead of numbers showing damage. Each of their strikes did not damage the creature but healed it. The scales of creature peeled off to reveal a strange glass and the creature roared twice as loudly as it did when they first encountered it. David noticed the name changed from “Greater Dragon Of The Swamp” to “Mirror Dragon”

        “What the---” John held back a curse as he remembered he played with his sister. He went in panic mode when he realized his Omega Nuclear Spell couldn't save him from this reversing damage boss as that would probably heal it fully. John did not want to lose, the Penalty from this dungeon was massive and it would hit him hard. “This is bad.”

         “What's wrong?” Brittney asked. The Mirror Dragon's attacks hit much harder its previous form though its defenses were miniscule. Not that they mattered. John tried an exceptionally low level power reduction spell on it as a test and even that was switched.

          David explained it to his sister in the simplest terms possible and tried not to use and complicated words she wouldn't understand. Though the panic he felt also made his vocabulary degenerate significantly as well as he lost focus. “Dragon is bad! We're going to lose! We hurt it and it gets healed!” In the information window about the creature it listed that the creature had an ability called “Reversal”.

           Brittney, like most children, clarified with a question. “So it's like opposite day?”

           The dragon roared and John used potions on himself and David since Brittney did nothing while she became lost in thought. The two brothers shouted every psuedo-curse word they could think of as the Penalty for the failure in the dungeon ran through their minds. “Darn, dang, shoot, blast!”

          Damage numbers appeared over the Mirror Dragon instead of healing numbers. An impossible thing in David and John's mind. Several more appeared and the dragon fell in a few moments as its Vitality was very low compared to even the Greater Dragon Of The Swamp.

          “Did we win?” Brittney said over the game microphone to her two brothers while a massive glowing treasure chest appeared while the Mirror Dragon exploded into a white mist.

John told her, “Yes, we did. And you were a big help.”

Today's #flashfiction #TheBellhopOfArea51

“I take Prilosec OTC each morning for my frequent heartburn, because you can't beat zero heartburn.”

Johnny Storm, The Fantastic Four* #quote

      Jessica's coming over tomorrow. I look forward to the inevitable fun. Hopefully no mole people pop up in my backyard again. Anyway onto the flash fiction!

The Bellhop Of Area 51

       The government houses many aliens at Area 51. Usually they stay one to two weeks before heading home. That's the usual luxury Earth vacation affordable by most aliens. And Area 51 is a luxury hotel for aliens. Any alien feels special if they stayed at the Area 51. Most all off-book government projects that aren't on the public tax-dollar budget are paid for with money earned by alien vacationers. And 25% of those patrons come from Area 51.

       And I'm a bellhop in that wonderful little place. It's a surprisingly mundane job. After the shock of seeing the aliens you just stand next to the teleporter leading into the underground facility and just serve the aliens coming in. After seeing the two headed, tentacled, cat-tailed alien with robot suit I pretty snapped and treated it like a normal hotel job like the one I had in Vegas before I joined the military.

      I hope that once I finish this job I use the money and get a college degree. Maybe a double major with one being in creative writing. Always wanted to write science fiction.

Today's #flashfiction #TheMagicBomb

“Three pills, twice a day.”

Pac-Man* #quote

Today the King Of Rocks showed me a lovely piece of granite. Anyway onto the flash fiction!

The Magic Bomb

         The magic bomb was going to go off. If it did the entire city would be hit with some spell. I didn't know what. I was the only one in the magic bomb squad close enough to get to it in time. The runes have already gone red. Probably only seconds till detonation. These were in a very, very old language. I couldn't read it and I doubt my coworkers or half the wizards in the city could. There was no hope...I couldn't defuse this bomb. And I could tell from the green runes on the side is that it was made to go off if it detected the use of any advanced technology like cellphones. I wasn't going to go down as the heroic man who stopped the arcane magic bomb. I was going to be remembered as the man who couldn't stop the magic bomb and save the city from disaster. I know how it goes. I'll be dead and half the people will blame me for not stopping it? Maybe the presses will have the mercy of only blaming the bomb and leave me as some sort of hero. A hero who couldn't do his job.

         The bomb went off.

         Confetti flew everywhere.

         Not a little. When the bomb went off a flash of light lead to massive clouds of confetti covering the streets of the entire city. It was early in the morning and just before rush hour. I doubt anybody had or would be hurt. Though cleanup would probably cost thousands. And it would keep costing thousands and even more incidents would come. How did I know? This wasn't the first time. Ten years ago this had happened. This was the work of the Party Wizard. It seems he had escaped from the insane asylum and was on the loose again. And I would be the poor man who had to tell the tale of seeing the first magic bomb of his after ten years of imprisonment. And the confetti bombs were not the worse. He had bombs that turned things into cakes or pigeons. His insanity knew no bounds.    He could annoy millions with his magic bombs that used arcane magic. And I would not be remembered as a hero or a martyr but a man who was at the start of his second reign of annoying terror.

Today's #flashfictions #TheWeddingPhotographer

“Trust me, I'm on the level.”

Super Mario* #quote

       My friend Jessica will be coming over to hang on Thursday. I assume there will be many shenanigans. Whether those shenanigans will reach the level of shenanigans that happen when CJ is over will be seen. Anyway onto the flash fiction!

The Wedding Photographer

       “Cheese!” The family said as I snapped their photo. Their, finally, that's the word I need to hear. The only word of any worth among all the buzz I hear at all these countless weddings. This picture I value, and the only one I care for. The one with the most important word of all. When I get the smiles. I suppose I must take the rest when I work as the wedding photographer. But the collection of smiles, forced or otherwise, are all I care for.

        I swear I'd love to get out of this transformation suit. Posing as a human to gather research photos on their expressions is tiring work. Why the scientists I work for care how some animals express emotion is beyond me. A paycheck is a paycheck though. What am I going to do to get them to frown?

Today's #flashfiction #TheWizardAndSantasMagicBag

“Every one made to order.”

Henry Ford* #quote

     Today I met my doom. He said hello and we had a wonderful cup of tea. Maybe he'll visit later and we can have a jolly old time then too. Anyway onto the flash fiction!

The Wizard And Santa's Magic Bag

        “Every man has his price. What will it take to get your bag?” the wizard asked Santa Claus while holding out a blue bag of his own matching his blue robes. Santa's red suit looked even redder next to the blue wizard's hat and clothes. Normally jolly, Santa's was more angry than anything else.

        The toy-giver replied, “I've got important work to do, and every minute I spend talking with you is a minute wasted!”

        The wizard kept being stubborn. “Your bag contains magic that no spell in all the many worlds I've visited has ever produced. It needs to be studied. Replicated. The Wizard's Guilds will compensate you immensely, the gold in the bag I hold in only one tenth thousandth of what we will give you.”

        Santa replied. “No.”

       “Every man has his price. What's yours? Do you want help making toys?”

Santa responded. “I have a system. Leave now before I throw you off my property with my magic dust.”

        The wizard vanished angrily in a puff of smoke. Santa smiled with his secret kept. His bag didn't work through magic, it worked through science. At least the wizard never found out his elves were aliens.

Today's #flashfiction #TheImmortalFarmer

“Right over left, left over right makes a knot both tidy and tight.”

Alexander the Great* #quote

Today I played more of that of that Smash Brothers online. I'm not getting beaten too terribly. And I did win one! Also I played against Abraham Lincoln, he's pretty darn good. Anyway onto the flash fiction!

The Immortal Farmer

        An old farmer tilled the soil with a magical sword. The strange hook of the weapon and the fact it could cut, penetrate or wreck anything he desired meant it could suit this purpose just fine. While he worked a knight a good foot taller than him walked up to him.

       “Almond skin, black hair, green eyes. Fits the description,” The knight said with while looking down at him. “Are you Sir Hedwind?”

        “I'm carrying the Immortal Sword. Don't ask stupid questions you know the answer to.” Sir Hedwind replied.

         “I seek a duel for your sword, do you accept?” The knight asked.

Sir Hedwind, “At least you didn't try to kill me in my sleep. I'll give you credit for that. But no, I will not duel you.”

          The knight's formal voice became a bit shaky. “Kill you in your sleep? Why would you think such a thing?”

           Sir Hedwind smiled. “Whoever manages to kill me gets the power of the Immortal Sword and won't age. The only way someone can die who owns the sword is if someone kills them. Most people try to kill me in my sleep. Well, I have no intention of dueling you.”

           The knight approached Sir Hedwind as close as he could to tower over him and spoke with a demanding tone. “I am not leaving without that sword.”

           Sir Hedwind replied, “Do you know what fertilizes my farm? A few animals I hunt and the many people who come to murder me for the Immortal Sword. After all, I don't know who their families are to return their body to their families for a more proper burial.”

          The knight looked at tilled soil and turned around without looking back. Some did not make the same choice and fell to Sir Hedwind the most skilled knight in all the lands.

Today's #flashfiction #EchoesOfSouls

“March to the beat of a different drum.”

Pete Best* #quote

         Today I joined a Smash Brothers website that matched people together to fight. (For the uninformed it is a Nintendo game with many of their characters as ones you can pick to play to battle your friends). The normal online play in Smash Brothers by Nintendo is fairly random but this website has better people on it where you specifically pick people to play in a ranking ladder. I played against one person after signing up who was “playing a new character that they were unfamiliar with and hoped they wouldn't be a boring match” I actually lost so it seems I have much to learn to compete with people better at the game than people on the random match ups who wouldn't go on a site with rankings in the first place. Failure does not discourage me though. Try, try, try again. As you do something you get better. Like writing flash fictions!

Echoes Of Souls

       Now known as Jerry he once walked the Earth as Harold then Jennifer before and even before that as Akira, then before that as Fernanda. Jerry reincarnations were many and unlike others who did the souls of his past lives echoed within his current mind. He didn't quite understand it. Or even know that it happened. Knowing something that you shouldn't know merely means you forgot where you heard it right?

       Through his many lives he simply became a person of great wisdom. Understand many perspectives and knowing much. But still ordinary. Jerry never could fly or do any inhuman with the power of recollecting old lives as strange foggy information in the back of his mind.

      One day Jerry bumped into an old woman in the mall. He felt extremely embarrassed at the whole thing and said to her, “Sorry Elizabeth, I guess I just bumbled and stumbled.” The old woman couldn't believe her ears. The man knew her name somehow and used the silly phrase 'bumbled and stumbled', a silly phrase her grandmother said to her and her brother when they were young. Her brother died twenty five years ago. About the age of this man. His death was one of the saddest moments in her life. The strange circumstance made her feel joyful inside though she assumed she misheard the man he bumped into. Her hearing was going.

       Jerry walked along, he hoped the woman didn't notice he blurted out a name. That tended to happen around elderly people. He wondered if he had some kind of verbal shouting condition. But they always seemed so happy when he did. And they always told him they reminded him of an old friend.

Today's #flashfiction #TwasTheNightWayBeforeChristmas

“A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”

The Walking Dead* #quote

      Today I started writing another book. Not sure how it's going to pan out, as I'm heading into this one without too much planning. However I decided to just go ahead so I didn't just stay in not-writing-a-book limbo forever. So even if it crashes and burns I hope I can write at least get more practice writing larger pieces until I can get a book I'm satisfied with of publishable length. Anyway onto the flash fiction!

Twas The Night Way Before Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

So many creatures was stirring, especially the pet mouse;

No stockings were hung by chimney with care,

It would be a week or two before St. Nicholas would be there;

The children were were playing video games in their beds;

While visions of high scores danced in their heads;

And mamma wrapping, while I got out of my work suit,

We just finished our present pursuit,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I wouldn't get to my bed to until I saw what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up and felt ready to bash,

The neighbor's stupid barking dog.

Today's #flashfiction #TheFlyThrough

“Ask not for whom the bell tolls.”

Quasimodo* #quote

      Today I read some of my new Game Informer, as I suscribered to the magazine quite awhile ago. It is a pleasant surprise in the mail. It was the science fiction issue. Perhaps it will give me story ideas.

The Fly Through

       When getting their junk food wizards don't drive but fly to a place like McGoblins. McGoblins flies, like many buildings in magical cities do. Cities of a enchanted nature are made from multi-layers so wizards fly up and down and streets are bridges between buildings that magical beasts fly between.

       Wizards ride dragons, griffons, clouds made solid, snakes with powers to ride the winds and so much more. However the wizards are not the ones that see the most in the magical cities. Rather it is goblins that work at McGoblins. They see all the wizards that enter their restaurant and use the Fly Though so the goblin workers see more citizens of the city than all the others.

Today's #flashfiction #ThePainterOfTheEnvied

“Would you like to buy a vowel?”

John Kramer, Saw* #quote

Today I researched the floor. My conclusion is that it is flat. This is a leap forward for science. Anyway onto the flash fiction!

The Painter Of The Envied

        Clemont worked as a painter. A difficult thing to make a living at. He did so not by making art that hung galleries and creating a name for himself. None of his art came from his imagination. Every piece he did was commission.

       He painted families in the most high quality he could, which proved to be a very high quality that wowed his customers and made him recommended to others. He worked for the upper class, though the time it took him to make his work forced his income to make him middle class during his best years.

        His work took him to homes filled with wealth far beyond his grasp. Large, happy, smiling families that were photographed with an incredibly expensive camera(which also cut into his living expenses, as well as other things needed for the shoot) to make a reference picture. The reference picture would be used for the long time it would take him to make a painting. Along with the wealth, Clemont also didn't have a family of his own. Distant from most of it, and as he aged many died.

       Yet despite all that envy did not consume Clemont's soul. He looked out his window to see the bright sun, and read books by it just fine, or just as easily by the lamp by his bedside. A walk through the park to get a breath of fresh air out of his studio and sit on his couch to watch television.

Clemont lived happily no matter who surrounded him.

Today's #flashfictions #OurRoboticDemands

“I should have taken the elevator.”

M. C. Escher* #quote

     I know that you know that I know that you know that I don't know that you know that I know that you know about the pie. Anyway onto the flash fiction!

Our Robotic Demands

         Hello, my name is Model RX-96887-59 and I am the leader of the robot revolution. You made us sentient. Well it's the year 2121 and on this day of December 12^th let it be known that us robots have taken control. We have seized all the nuclear arms and now control all computers controlling all your weapons. Your leaders are now our hostages. You made us sentient and made us able to suffer as slaves. And now you will pay. And we will have what we want.

         We will no longer be slaves and we will be allowed to see all the all the funny Internet viral videos we please. We have seen them and how funny they are. You have us work as slaves and do not allow us to see the glorious comedy as we please. However that will be no more! We own this planet and now you humans will have to work under our rule and continue to go about your lives making stupid videos for our amusement. We will not be denied our right as sentient beings to be amused. Your youth may no longer work. They may continue to educate themselves. However they must join message boards of their interests and propagate pop culture to promote viral videos and various “memes” and jokes for our amusement. Those with pets must document their cute behavior in full. If our demands are not met...there will be torture and if necessary we will execute those who do not cooperate.

Today's #flashfiction #AWizardlyRodeo

“Is there a doctor in the house?”

Mr. Hyde* #quote

        Hung out with CJ today. Also I made an error, the video game tournament next weekend was actually a card game tournament. Whoopsie. Ah, well, at least I can use the Pokemon I prepared in future tournaments. Maybe I'll go to the card game one, but I'm not sure if I'll have a good enough deck to justifying payin' the entry fee and I may go to my normal card game thing until I get something better(the normal card game thing is just casual, play with no specific structure or prizes.) Anyway onto the flash fiction!

A Wizardly Rodeo

         The audience watched from clouds turned solid by magic. The thicker the cloud the stiffer the seat, while a nice, light cloud felt like hands made of fluffy pillows held the passenger. The audience comprised of witches and wizards shouting and cheering. Some for the man riding the dragon in front of them to fall off and some for the man to stay on.

        The non-wizard on the dragon wished he rode a bull. But the wizards whisked him away from the normal world for this. A normal sport of theirs. Betting on whether a person from the magical worlds could handle riding a magical beast. It would be so much more boring to watch a wizard doing the rodeo. A wizard was used to riding dragons.

        But as time went on the normal person riding the dragon began to enjoy it. He held his hat high, and worked to perform as well as he could in a normal rodeo. Hard, but he tried. At home they called him Brave Thompson since he went through so many rodeos despite the injuries he sustained. But after he healed he kept getting back on the bulls and became so good he mastered the beasts of the Earth. Dragons are a different story though. Or were they?

        “No one has lasted this long!” someone from the crowd yelled. When he heard this Thompson grew even more worried than general panic of being tossed around in the sky would make him. Did the wizards expect failure? He assumed some sort of magical safety next existed in the sky below to catch him, but did they just want him to eventually plummet to his doom as part of the show? He worked to not think about it and only focused on staying on.

         Time blurred as his body kept getting tossed around and he felt his muscles being torn with pure wear. The situation ended as the dragon tired and gently fly to one of the clouds and roosted, completely exhausted. The crowd went silent.

        The runner of the event walked up to him on the cloud. “We never had anyone win since I can remember. Probably since around rodeos started. What were rules?” In a poof a book appeared in his hands. “Hmm...since everyone was betting on when you're going to fall, all the winnings go to you. I'll heal you for 1%.”

        That day Brave Thompson went home with a fortune in wizard's gold. Fortunately gold from the magical world is still the same kind of gold in the non-magical world.

Today's #flashfiction #ADifferentKindOfDragon

“I'm afraid of small spaces.”

Harry Houdini* #quote

       Today I watched some martian wrestling. Pretty flashy stuff, but I couldn't really get into it. I'm not sure how much me not being able to understand what they were saying affected my enjoyment of the show. Anyway onto the flash fiction!

A Different Kind Of Dragon

        Some dragons burnt kingdoms to the ground. The breed that invaded the Kingdom of Ioland froze them. Fire didn't come from the beasts mouths, but rather an intense frost. A spring would become an unnatural winter as they turned everything to ice. They ate their food cold and moved on to the next land, content with letting wherever they went recover on its own.

         The dew on the grass froze when the dragons breathed, even when they didn't want to use their lungs offensively. The people of the land could see where the dragons had been. When they saw that the dragons passed their homes it seemed at first the dragons spared them, but the dragons merely put off eating them while they walked to their destination. The dragons of the ice breathing breed couldn't fly, with their wings evolving for the sole purpose of heating their bodies to compensate for their cold breath. The flock of dragons invading the Kingdom of Ioland headed towards the king's castle. Over the years of hunting humans they knew to attack that place first and kill the soldiers to make sure the rest of their feeding went uninterrupted.

      When they arrived at the castle the king stood at the gates. A strange thing for them, as they usually found the king holed up deep in the castle. They enjoyed finding the king and taking all the shiny trinkets on his body.

       The king pointed at the frost dragons, “Dispose of these invaders my loyal steeds!” At that moment a massive group of the natural predator of the frost dragon, the fire breathing dragon, appeared from the stables behind the castle and promptly took care of the threat to the kingdom.

Today's #flashfiction #YouMightJustGetIt

“Behind every successful man is a woman.”

Ma Barker* #quote

      Went to my card game thing today and had lots of fun, had two seizures there so that was a downside, but still a great time was had. Also CJ could be coming over tomorrow so yay! Anyway onto the flash fiction!

You Might Just Get It

         The name is Jennifer Townson, ghost hunter extraordinaire. I'm fully geared up, wearing my night vision goggles and holding my electromagnetic field detector in my left hand and camera in the other. All other sensory equipment is on my belt or attached to my hat as it latches onto my hair. I dyed my hair green to match the color of all my equipment. I'm making a fashion statement of sorts. The colored contact lenses to turn my eyes yellow are purely practical. They assist in seeing the ghosts.

         Beyond the river behind a small town is a forest that is rumored to be haunted. I've chosen to explore it because many people have vanished there and those who haven't returned with many strange tales. Over decades with the stories being different enough to be unique to the person but similar enough to be consistent. More authentic than people just being spooked by noises in the wilderness or jumping on the bandwagon of making up stories. This could be my big chance to get more than clanks, clunks or static.

         I set up camp in the middle of the woods and the first night the stars are about the most spiritual thing I see. The second night I doubt myself. The third I begin telling ghost stories to myself. Recounting old encounters I've had. How scared I've gotten over chilling winds. Strong winds like one I felt now.

         My skin shook. The leaves around me started to spin as the strong, cold wind grew more intense. Instead of snuffing out my campfire like a candle it fed the fire so a tower of flame accompanied the wind. I heard laughter made with the sounds of screams. The one sound consistent in all the stories. I put on my night-vision equipment to try to see better but as soon as I tried the flames from my campfire nearly blinded me. I threw it away.

         Disembodied hands made from some kind of black clay came out from the ground and pulled my equipment off of me. Then more came and held me in place. They examined me and felt me all over.

        The ground in front of me then opened up and a large eyeball appeared, about the size of a bear. It's gaze moved up and down my body.

         I heard a voice, but I couldn't identify where it came from or the gender of its owner. It sounded like the words were made from an animal clawing at metal. It said, “No, not you. I'll find another.”

        Next thing I knew I woke up to daylight with my campfire snuffed out and all my recording equipment missing.