Flash fiction
#62 – Worth
The woman flicked the notes carefully through her fingers, tapping the stack of cash against her desk and peering up over her horn-rimmed glasses.
“Not police?”
The man shook his head. There was a note of threat to the question and he turned away, fixing his gaze through the doorway, his heart racing.
Silken bronze skin swept beneath long curls of onyx hair. Asian eyes were lidded and docile. The woman he desired tugged her skirt over a blackened bruise.
“You like?” the Madame slipped the money into a draw, her finger stroking a pistol.
“Yes. Very much,…”
(c) Tim Austin 2016. Promo image by Tom Sodoge via Unsplash.
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#61 – Prime
The Silverback watched from the the undergrowth, his slab-like fists balled into the black earth. The valley was his.
Around the Silverback, the forest chirped and chittered to the sound of a billion insects. High in the treetops, Chimps swung to perch, gazing down at the Gorilla with nervous curiosity. One swipe of his arm would crush them. One charge of his thundering bulk and they would be no more.
Yet it was not the Silverback they feared.
The upright ape was there. The clothed beast, sawing at the arms of the Gorilla’s mate.
The Silverback watched from the undergrowth.
(c) Tim Austin 2016. Promo image by Jorge Illich-Gejo via Unsplash.
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#60 – Pleasure
Hannah’s breath caught in her chest, stilled for a moment as she trembled in the darkness.
Once again her lips were parted by cool flesh, a berry gliding between and tracing against her teeth. She opened her mouth: a begging acceptance. The cold of the fruit mixed with sudden hot breath against her neck. Her eyelids fluttered.
There was a gentle smack against her naked thigh.
“No, Hannah. Eyes closed.” His voice was a low purr.
A shiver ran through her flesh, her mind swimming, her senses swamped by sensation.
“Now, Hannah,…”
The fruit was pulled away.
“Open you legs.”
(c) Tim Austin 2016. Promo image by Roksolana Zasiadko via Unsplash.
Okay, this one probably counts as NSFW!
The first erotic short story on the One Word One Story blog. I had actually written one for “Breath” but it was a bit,… much. Enjoy!
Suggest your own one word story title – it’s easy! Pop your word in the comments or tweet it to @timaustin2k using the hashtag #onewordonestory and I’ll write a story just for you!
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#59 – Cheek
All around the room flames roared and span through the air: blue and red funnels shooting from the base of each hob, the blazing inferno bringing sweat to the skin of the paramedics kneeling at the floor.
The apprentice looked down at the prone form of Chef Tyler, his harsh, furious gaze now dull and powerless. Spittle still leaked from the corner of his mouth.
“What did you say to him?” one of the Sous Chefs nudged the apprentice, his mouth agape.
“Nothing,…”
The apprentice shrugged. Chef Tyler twitched.
“Just that his soup could do with a little salt,…”
(c) Tim Austin 2016. Promo image by Michael Browning via Unsplash.
Suggest your one word story title and I’ll write one just for you! Pop your word in the comments or tweet it to @timaustin2k using the hashtag #onewordonestory.
#57 – Recovery
Amber lights flicked, cutting through the darkness and splashing against the grass of the verge. The tow-truck driver sucked his lip, his hands balled at his waist.
The car was there. It was running. There seemed to be nothing wrong with it except the absence of a driver.
“Hello!?”
The driver called into the treeline, his voice struggling over the thundering roar of traffic.
“You called for a tow?”
There was a rustle in the grass. The driver looked down.
Laying at his feet was a smartphone. A video was playing on the screen.
“Oh god,…. they’ve come for me again,…..”
(c) Tim Austin 2016. Promo image by Sergey Zolkin via Unsplash.
Today’s One Word title was suggested and donated by composer and violinist Adisha Kariyawasam – his second suggestion for the OWOS project (yes, you can suggest more than one word!)
You can read “Violin”, the first story that he suggested, by clicking here.
YOU can suggest your own word: just pop it into the comments or tweet it to me @timaustin2k.
If you’re enjoying the stories, make sure you’re sharing the joy 🙂 I’ll see you tomorrow for “God”.
#56 – Trapdoor
The wooden boards above creaked, curtains of dust sluicing down and stinging Benedict’s eyes. He blinked it away and looked at his watch. Two minutes.
He couldn’t hear the argument above but he knew what it was about. It was the same night after night. One girl, one guy, a star-crossed love affair turning sour due to the machinations of a Stage Magician.
It really wasn’t a good play.
Benedict looked at his watch again. 2 minutes.
He tapped it. Nothing happened. There was silence above.
Scrambling up the ladder, he peeked through the trapdoor.
Damn.
The Stage Magician was late.
(c) Tim Austin 2016. Promo image by Lloyd Dirks via Unsplash.
Today’s one-word story title was suggested by Fionn Grant of lionaroundwriting.com. He’s not wrong about the castles and the whisky: I’ve visited. You can follow him on twitter (if that’s your bag) @FionnGrant.
If you’d like me to write you a story based on a word of your choice, pop your word in the comments section below or tweet it to me @timaustin2k using the hastag #onewordonestory.
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See you tomorrow for “Recovery”.
#54 – Conceived
The blueprint dimpled as Joseph poked his finger against the paper. That was the point of entry. That was the place the explosives needed to be set.
The four men looked at each other and nodded in silence before quietly unlatching the van door and filing out into the harsh, cold night.
Beside them, the jewellery repository rose through the street light, its towering brick walls disappearing into the gloom above. Three of the men were already creeping across to the alleyway behind. The fourth kept lookout.
He saw a cop watching from the shadows.
He smiled. He turned away. He waited.
(c) Tim Austin 2016. Promo image by Matthew Skinner via Unsplash.
If you’d like me to write you a story based on a word of your choice, pop your word in the comments section below or tweet it to me @timaustin2k using the hastag #onewordonestory.
If you’re enjoying the stories, please let me know, share them with your friends and follow the blog here and at the OWOS Facebook Page.
#53 – Faith
Jeanie held her arms out to each side. The balls of her feet balanced against the edge of the stage: her heels hung in the air.
“That’s it, Jeanie: now fall back and the other girls will catch you,” the teacher cooed.
“Well of course they will,” Jeanie thought.
She knew them. Jeanie knew they’d do exactly as they were told. Jeanie had dunked the geeky one’s head in the toilet just last week. The spotty one still had a bust lip.
She closed her eyes and fell backwards.
There was a giggle.
(c) Tim Austin 2016. Promo Image by Charlie Foster via Unsplash.
If you’d like me to write you a story based on a word of your choice, pop your word in the comments section below or tweet it to me @timaustin2k using the hastag #onewordonestory.
If you’re enjoying the stories, please let me know, share them with your friends and follow the blog here and at the OWOS Facebook Page.
#52 – Tyrant
The coffee made the General smile: a small taste of home, so far away. He gazed at the hologram of his wife and kids, watching them smile and laugh as they petted the dog. Their hair danced silently in the breeze as the recording repeated again and again. The General sighed.
His concentration was broken by a cough. A Sergeant stood by the desk, a pad in his hand.
“Yes?”
“Today’s execution orders, Sir.”
He looked at the insect-like faces of the prisoners and sneered. His thumbprint sealed the fate of each. Women, children; traitors.
His hologram family kept smiling.
(c) Tim Austin 2016. Promo Image by Nasa via Unsplash.
If you’d like me to write you a story based on a word of your choice, pop your word in the comments section below or tweet it to me @timaustin2k using the hastag #onewordonestory.
If you’re enjoying the stories, please let me know, share them with your friends and follow the blog here and at the OWOS Facebook Page.
#51 – Home
“Honey!”
The keys clattered against the sideboard, the door kicked shut with a laugh.
“You wouldn’t believe what Jack has been saying at work,…”
Jason threw his coat onto a chair and strode through the hallway, his hand pushing the living room door wide.
“Maria? Jack said,…”
His hand froze against the light switch as the smell of gas filled his nose. His heart plummeted.
“What have you done,….?”
Maria looked so peaceful. There was a smile on her lips that Jason hadn’t seen in many years. He would have given anything to see that smile again.
But not this,…
(c) Tim Austin 2016. Promo image by Christopher Harris via Unsplash.
This story is a continuation of story 25 – “Onesie”. You can read it by clicking here. This isn’t the end of this story: follow the blog and like the OWOS Facebook page for more chapters in this story.
I can’t do this without your word suggestions so keep them coming in! If you’d like me to write you a story based on a word of your choice, pop your word in the comments section below or tweet it to me @timaustin2k using the hastag #onewordonestory.
If you’re enjoying the stories, please let me know, share them with your friends. Come back tomorrow for my next One Word Story: “Rewarded”.
One Word, One Story 