March | 2010 | Claire Gillian

AW Flash Fiction = 90 minutes from reveal of theme (“redemption”) to posted story. I like the general story though I know the writing could use some tweaking.

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Someone messed with ol’ Ms. Thorpe’s waterin’ contraption last weekend. I know because I was one of them that done it.

We didn’t mean no harm, was just havin’ some fun. Frankie’d dared me to tie the hose up into as many knots as I could. He’d then slung it up into the tree in the empty lot between Ms. Thorpe’s house and mine. We took turns swingin’ on it. It’s a wonder we didn’t wake her, as much whoopin’ and hollerin’ as we did in that lil ol’ swing. We left it there. We figured someone’d rescue it for her eventually. But no one did.

“Hey Ms. Thorpe. Is that your waterin’ thing up over in yonder tree?” my Mama asked as she walked by. Me and my friends, we was playing in the lot next door so we heard what they said. Continue reading →

I didn’t win but this was my entry. I liked it, though in hindsight I can see a few things I’d change, such as the last line.

To see the winning entry and other notable entrants go here:

NPR Three Minute Fiction

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Single Male Seeks Soulmate

“Single Male, 32, short, dumpy and troll-like, seeks female soulmate. Must have kind heart, sense of humor and love cabs.”

Cabs? Gayle reread the words again as she sipped a cappuccino at her tiny table near the door. Surely that was a typo and he’d meant cats. His words made her smile. Who wrote that type of ad except someone with a great sense of humor? Overcome by impulse, she punched his number into her cell phone. A deep male voice answered, the background sounds of his environment threatening to drown out his words. Continue reading →