Joe Hart's Blog, page 6
October 11, 2013
31 Days Of Flash Fiction - Day 11
Happy Friday everyone!
The Corner
“You’re wife’s standing in the corner.”The doctor started and glanced at the empty corner of the room that Edwards nodded at. “Now you know that’s impossible, right, Mr. Edwards? We can both see that the corner’s empty.”Edwards shrugged, the straightjacket creaking with the effort. “Just because you can’t see her doesn’t mean I can’t.” The doctor smiled, taking off his glasses to clean them. “Okay, Mr. Edwards, what’s she wearing this evening.” “A blue dress with a white flower pinned on it. And there’s a golden chain around her neck with a heart at the end engraved with her initials.” The doctor’s eyes bulged and his mouth slowly dropped open, his voice a whisper. “H-h-how do you know that? My wife’s been dead for five years.” Edwards leaned closer, smiling. “Yeah, and she’s really angry that you made her that way.”
October 10, 2013
31 Days Of Flash Fiction - Day 10
Before you read today's flash fiction I just wanted to mention that Lineage, my first novel, is on sale for $.99 for a limited time. If you have the chance to check it out that would be great!
Now, on to today's piece...
From Below
We’ve been trapped in the mine for five days.Four hundred feet down.Don died yesterday morning. I’m the last one left.But I awoke last night to noises in the small opening we’re trapped in. Furtive, quiet, but there.I would say it was the rescue crew, boring in, getting closer, the sounds belonging to their equipment, that freedom is not far away.And there is light illuminating my little space where I’m crouched, which would add to my hope.If it weren’t coming from below.
Now, on to today's piece...
From Below
We’ve been trapped in the mine for five days.Four hundred feet down.Don died yesterday morning. I’m the last one left.But I awoke last night to noises in the small opening we’re trapped in. Furtive, quiet, but there.I would say it was the rescue crew, boring in, getting closer, the sounds belonging to their equipment, that freedom is not far away.And there is light illuminating my little space where I’m crouched, which would add to my hope.If it weren’t coming from below.
October 9, 2013
31 Days Of Flash Fiction - Day 9
It's my birthday today and this is my gift to you.
Enjoy!
Dirty Love
The pine trees swayed overhead, speaking to him as he buried her. “Shouldn’t have done it, shouldn’t have done it,” he said, tossing another shovelful in. “I was the one guy you shouldn’t have done that to.” He grunted, pushing more dirt into the hole that was almost filled in. “Now I’m gonna have to leave town, and it’s all your fault.” He wiped away sweat that might’ve had a tear mixed in with it. “I loved you so much.” He patted the earth once, tamping it down. “I’m just glad you’ll never be able to hurt anyone else like you did me.” As he walked away the wind gusted once more, cutting through the pine needles overhead, and almost drowned out her screams from underground.
Enjoy!
Dirty Love
The pine trees swayed overhead, speaking to him as he buried her. “Shouldn’t have done it, shouldn’t have done it,” he said, tossing another shovelful in. “I was the one guy you shouldn’t have done that to.” He grunted, pushing more dirt into the hole that was almost filled in. “Now I’m gonna have to leave town, and it’s all your fault.” He wiped away sweat that might’ve had a tear mixed in with it. “I loved you so much.” He patted the earth once, tamping it down. “I’m just glad you’ll never be able to hurt anyone else like you did me.” As he walked away the wind gusted once more, cutting through the pine needles overhead, and almost drowned out her screams from underground.
October 8, 2013
31 Days Of Flash Fiction - Day 8
The Quiet Thing
It waits on a mantle.Sometimes a table. Sometimes a bookshelf. But always it waits. It travels from one house to the next, handed down, sold, traded, but never discarded. It sees the gun flash, the spray of red. And it waits.It sees the shining grin of a knife, cutting arteries.And it waits.It sees the noose drawing tight, feet swinging free.And it waits.It watches all death with glazed marble eyes.And it smiles.
October 7, 2013
31 Days Of Flash Fiction - Day 7
The start of every week should have a little terror in it, right? ;-)
Enjoy.
Translates Roughly As
I awake, eyes nearly swollen shut to the sound of a Disney movie in Spanish. I know the song they’re singing if I don’t know the words. Sara used to love that movie, before they killed her for my money.The fat guard sleeps in the chair near the door, the gun loose in his hand. My chain pulls taut but I snatch it, shoot him between his surprised eyes. Keys in his pocket unlock my chains. In the living room our kidnapper is running toward my cell, but I’m already in front of his daughter. She’s no more than five, the same age as Sara was, and he stops, pleading in his own tongue as I point the gun at her.“I’m going to take everything away that you took from me,” I say. I don't care if he understands.And I make sure his daughter watches. As I put the barrel in my mouth and pull the trigger.
Enjoy.
Translates Roughly As
I awake, eyes nearly swollen shut to the sound of a Disney movie in Spanish. I know the song they’re singing if I don’t know the words. Sara used to love that movie, before they killed her for my money.The fat guard sleeps in the chair near the door, the gun loose in his hand. My chain pulls taut but I snatch it, shoot him between his surprised eyes. Keys in his pocket unlock my chains. In the living room our kidnapper is running toward my cell, but I’m already in front of his daughter. She’s no more than five, the same age as Sara was, and he stops, pleading in his own tongue as I point the gun at her.“I’m going to take everything away that you took from me,” I say. I don't care if he understands.And I make sure his daughter watches. As I put the barrel in my mouth and pull the trigger.
October 6, 2013
31 Days Of Flash Fiction- Day 6
Happy Sunday, everyone!
Hope you enjoy this one!
Monday Morning Blues
His head ached.The echo of whiskey beating in the back of his skull, a war drum of pain. The shower helped very little since there was no water. He cussed. A rat waited for him on the dining room table. It had a finger in its mouth, turning it for the meat. He sighed and walked past it to the coat closet, donned his suit. When he opened the door the fires weren’t burning as strong as the night before. But the stack of bodies was higher. A hundred feet high. He whistled a little inside the containment suit as he picked up his shovel and got to work.
Hope you enjoy this one!
Monday Morning Blues
His head ached.The echo of whiskey beating in the back of his skull, a war drum of pain. The shower helped very little since there was no water. He cussed. A rat waited for him on the dining room table. It had a finger in its mouth, turning it for the meat. He sighed and walked past it to the coat closet, donned his suit. When he opened the door the fires weren’t burning as strong as the night before. But the stack of bodies was higher. A hundred feet high. He whistled a little inside the containment suit as he picked up his shovel and got to work.
October 5, 2013
31 Days Of Flash Fiction - Day 5
Happy Saturday everyone!
Tingle
The plague came a year ago today. It crushed us, pummeled humanity under a relentless fist of death until we were few. Only hundreds immune. But all that succumbed didn’t die. I don’t know what it does to the body, but when we don’t perish, we grow.Tall. Unbelievably tall.And hungry.They come at night, on long legs too fast to outrun, too tall to hide from, their eyes seeing far in the dark. But tonight is different. All day I’ve had a tingling in my bones.Tonight I’ll un-barricade the door.And hunt.
Tingle
The plague came a year ago today. It crushed us, pummeled humanity under a relentless fist of death until we were few. Only hundreds immune. But all that succumbed didn’t die. I don’t know what it does to the body, but when we don’t perish, we grow.Tall. Unbelievably tall.And hungry.They come at night, on long legs too fast to outrun, too tall to hide from, their eyes seeing far in the dark. But tonight is different. All day I’ve had a tingling in my bones.Tonight I’ll un-barricade the door.And hunt.
October 4, 2013
31 Days Of Flash Fiction - Day 4
Here's a little creep to ease you into the weekend.
Hope you're not washing clothes tonight. ;-)
Last Wash
The thumping sound is muted by the falling coins, but not enough for her not to hear it.She turns, glancing down the shining rows of washing machines, all quiet but one. The Laundromat empty, except for her.She moves down the row, clutching change, her fist tight, eyes wide-staring at the frothing water on the other side of the porthole.She leans close.And sees the teeth in its mouth before it bursts through the glass.
Hope you're not washing clothes tonight. ;-)
Last Wash
The thumping sound is muted by the falling coins, but not enough for her not to hear it.She turns, glancing down the shining rows of washing machines, all quiet but one. The Laundromat empty, except for her.She moves down the row, clutching change, her fist tight, eyes wide-staring at the frothing water on the other side of the porthole.She leans close.And sees the teeth in its mouth before it bursts through the glass.
October 3, 2013
31 Days Of Flash Fiction - Day 3
Okay, I'm cheating a little here. This isn't a brand new story.
I wrote it last year for a flash fiction challenge over at Chuck Wendig's blog, and I won! Anyways, here we go.
Goodbye
"I'll see you in little bits!" Allen called over his shoulder as he made his way to the entry of the house."What?" his wife asked over the hum of her hairdryer. "You heard me," Allen said, nodding to the man with the fire axe as they passed each other in the hall.
I wrote it last year for a flash fiction challenge over at Chuck Wendig's blog, and I won! Anyways, here we go.
Goodbye
"I'll see you in little bits!" Allen called over his shoulder as he made his way to the entry of the house."What?" his wife asked over the hum of her hairdryer. "You heard me," Allen said, nodding to the man with the fire axe as they passed each other in the hall.
October 2, 2013
31 Days Of Flash Fiction
Here we go again. Hope you guys enjoy this one as much as yesterday's.
Dead End
The boy tries to whistle in the moonlight, tries and fails. The shadow of the man passing the opposite way on the other side of the dirt road nods at him, and keeps nodding forward as long, pointed limbs begin to grow from the man’s back.The boy runs, his house a dark silhouette at the end of the road. Footsteps and gurgling laughter behind him.He bursts through the door but doesn’t shut it behind him. Blood and gore everywhere. His family in pieces.The voice behind him, close now. Whispering. “Where did you think I was coming from?”
Dead End
The boy tries to whistle in the moonlight, tries and fails. The shadow of the man passing the opposite way on the other side of the dirt road nods at him, and keeps nodding forward as long, pointed limbs begin to grow from the man’s back.The boy runs, his house a dark silhouette at the end of the road. Footsteps and gurgling laughter behind him.He bursts through the door but doesn’t shut it behind him. Blood and gore everywhere. His family in pieces.The voice behind him, close now. Whispering. “Where did you think I was coming from?”
