Austin Briggs's Blog, page 54
August 14, 2012
Best Served Cold
Throat tight, Emma gulped the last of her tea. “I – we – never meant to hurt you,” she managed. “Robert and I fell in love. That’s why he broke off your engagement. I hope you can forgive me.”
“Of course. You’re my sister.” Charlotte smiled. “And by the way—”
“Yes?”
“The tea is poisoned.”
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Best Served Cold is a post from: Aztec Books
I’m Game
It’s seductive, the eye contact across the bar.
A wink, a smile, and then we dance.
I feel reckless and whisper, ‘Come home with me.’
A hand runs down my back; goose bumps, blood rush, I’m in.
Warm breath to my ear, ‘Home by dawn, and by the way, I’m a dude down there.’
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I’m Game is a post from: Aztec Books
The Surprise Waiting For Her
“. . . And by the way, I put a little something in your wine.”
In the candlelight, his eyes glinted darkly.
“I’m sorry . . . what?” Only moments before, he’d held me spellbound, enraptured.
He gave a grim smile, and the wineglass shook in my hand. “Don’t worry, by tomorrow, you won’t remember a thing . . . if you survive the night.”
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The Surprise Waiting For Her is a post from: Aztec Books
August 12, 2012
And by the way…
“I’m dying.” Josh waited.
George, Josh’s boss, never looked away from his computer screen. “Dying of what?”
“Dying. As in, the process of being dead. Happens to everyone.” At that, Josh clutched his chest and gasped his last breath.
George shook his head, eyes still on his screen. “Sorry, still can’t have next week off.”
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And by the way… is a post from: Aztec Books
Three Minute Memory
My husband was always looking for me; my solution, tell him where I was going.
“Honey, I’m going to take a shower.”
“Okay,” he smiled.
Three minutes later, “honey?”
“Yes dear.”
“Showering?” he asked
“Yes.”
As he left, “by the way, guess what I forgot?”
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Three Minute Memory is a post from: Aztec Books
August 11, 2012
Consequences
I kissed her succulent lips, “Babe, that was amazing.”
“As always, and by the way, no need to worry about your wife bothering us anymore.”
“You’re making her work nights?”
She stared at me with obsessive eyes, “I mean she’ll never bother us again.”
“What did you do?”
An ominous smile grew on her face.
H.L. Navarro Jr.
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Consequences is a post from: Aztec Books
My First Time
I never thought my first time would be with a woman I met in a bar. But here I was with this beautiful goddess, straddling me on the bed of some sleazy motel. When the passion was over, she turned to me and said, “And by the way, that’ll be five-hundred.”
T.R. Ambrose.
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My First Time is a post from: Aztec Books
August 8, 2012
Like Clockwork
Henry lifted the lace veil to behold his new bride; glass eyes stared back from a painted porcelain face.
“And by the way – you’ll need this.” Ratter proffered a long brass key.
“But . . . you promised me the perfect wife!”
“So I did.” The broker’s grin revealed jagged, rotting teeth. “But you get what you pay for.”
Like Clockwork is a post from: Aztec Books
August 7, 2012
July 2012 Contest Winner
First of all, I apologise for the delay. Been travelling for most of July. Just back from some remote places deep in the Japanese countryside — Ishikawa with all its rice paddies and edamame fields, “deep Osaka” (the experienced gaijins would know what I mean; I’m talking about that intense, local part of the city where tourists almost never show up), and most recently the rolling green hills of Hokkaido.
I’m online for the first time since end of July, and before doing anything else, I’m here announcing the winners.
Apologies once again.
What a month it has been for the Flash Fiction contest. I’ve been going through the entries again and again, ranking and re-ranking, short-listing, and reading the stories to the point when I believe I know them all by heart.
I wanted to mention one thing before announcing the winner: I’m honoured to host such high quality material at this site. Seriously honoured.
Here are the stories that made it to the final short-list after hours of agonised decision making:
1. Ryan’s Promise by Adrian Carey.
2. The Whispering Man by Gareth S. Young.
3. Anything for Love by Eden Connor.
4. In Space they Can’t Hear the Screams by Carol Willis.
5. Summer Son by Liz Powell.
I’d have loved to send the prize to every writer on this short-list; but I have to select one story using the clear criteria for the classic 55-word pieces.
So, here we go.
The July 2012 contest winner is:
Ryan’s Promise by Adrian Carey.
This story, I believe, is quite close to perfection. It has the drama, the style, the clear conflict and the resolution; and it gets bonus points from me for ending with a cliff-hanger.
Congrats Adrian – I’ll contact you by email to arrange the payment.
The prompt for August is:
“And by the way…”
Extra points for adding a steam punk touch 
Happy writing,
Austin.
July 2012 Contest Winner is a post from: Aztec Books
July 24, 2012
Sleight of Hand
For forty years he had designed rings with white gold, diamonds, emeralds, rubies for her with love.
Now her newly naked fingers drop coins in slots, their decorations all gone.
Only a widow’s memory of a death bed promise remain: keep them in the family.
No jackpot today. The pawn broker delights in his trade.
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Sleight of Hand is a post from: Aztec Books
