Damon L. Wakes's Blog, page 2

The Prophet Without a Face

Flash Fiction Month 2025, Day 23 There once was a king who ruled a planet-struck land. All omens were ill omens. All prophecies were prophecies of doom. To the north was a nation always on the brink of war, always threatening invasion. To the east were raiders on horseback, a constant, harrying presence. To the […]

1997-07.xls

Flash Fiction Month 2025, Day 22 Challenge #10: Write an epistolary story using a document format and topic provided to you by another participant. The 1997 spreadsheet format and beans topic were provided by booksoverlookedblog. Date Beans in Silo (kg) Cans in Storage Notes 1997/07/01 (Tue) 8769 3320   1997/07/02 (Wed) 7981 3714   1997/07/03 […]

The Ultimate Technique

Flash Fiction Month 2025, Day 21 “It was foolish of you to come back here, boy!” The Shinobi Lord rose from his throne in the highest chamber of the Hidden Palace. “Beg forgiveness, give up your father’s sword, and you may yet leave alive.” “Never!” came the reply, as the intruder charged headlong across the […]

The Knight and the Twin Guardians

Flash Fiction Month 2025, Day 20 “I am the guardian who always tells the truth,” announced the statue carved of ruby. “No!” boomed the statue carved of sapphire. “He is the guardian who tells only lies. It is I who always speaks truth!” “Oh. This thing.” The knight looked from one statue to the other, […]

We Doin’ Limericks Now

Flash Fiction Month 2025, Day 19 Challenge #9: Write a story of exactly 55 words, featuring a pair of rhyming lines. There once was a man from Havana, preparing fruit in a cabana. He put down his heel, and slipped on a peel, banana banana banana banana banana banana banana banana banana banana banana banana […]

The Dragon and the Bellmaker

Flash Fiction Month 2025, Day 18 Each morning the bellmaker would walk out along the beach and watch the hermit crabs scrabbling for shells, and each afternoon he would cast marvels inspired by the shapes of their choicest finds. Yet his simple life was tainted with sadness. For though some of his bells found their […]

Not the Hero the City Needs

Flash Fiction Month 2025, Day 17 Challenge #8: Write a story that uses neopronouns instead of he/she/they, in which a character must redo something. The caped figure dropped from the ceiling, landing in a dramatic superhero pose. “Stop, evildoers!” ze shouted. “I—Neopronoun Person—have come to foil your dastardly crime!” There was a loud clang as the […]

The Previous Residents

Flash Fiction Month 2025, Day 16 He closed the cabinet, and there she was in the mirrored door: a little girl, dressed in a petticoat and bonnet, standing in the darkened hallway. He whirled around. There was no one there. It was a trick of the light, he told himself—though it was the same buzzing […]

A Grave Invitation

Flash Fiction Month 2025, Day 15 Challenge #7: Write a story based on at least one prompt from the 2025 Prompt Bank. It must have a palindromic word count, and optionally include a generator of some kind. My chosen prompt was provided by Erica: “A man receives a wedding invitation from the woman he buried […]

Packing the Essentials

Flash Fiction Month 2025, Day 14 “Okay,” said Jeff. “This ice climb is the hardest part of the trek, but after that it’s just a couple of kilometres to the hut. Do you have the crampons?” “Right here.” Jeff accepted the small cardboard box almost without thinking. Then he looked at it. “Crampons!” he shouted. […]