Damon L. Wakes's Blog, page 3

The Merchant and the Gourmet King

Flash Fiction Month 2025, Day 13 There once was a king who delighted in fine food. Every day he would hold appointments with his courtiers and hear the concerns of the kingdom, and every evening he would enjoy a meal the likes of none other in all the land. Astonishingly, though this king had no […]

Four-Eyes and the Crackling

Flash Fiction Month 2025, Day 12 Challenge #6: In collaboration with at least one other author, write a story combining genres that each of you selected beforehand. This story was written in collaboration with WindySilver, whose chosen genre was science fiction (and whose contribution is presented in italics). My own chosen genre was wild-animal fiction. […]

An Unexpected Houseguest

Flash Fiction Month 2025, Day 11 “Aaaaah! A spider!” “Aaaaaah! A social media manager!” The spider tapped one of its many, many feet. “Doesn’t feel so good, does it?” “Wait,” said Cara. “You can talk?” “Yeah,” said the spider. “How?” “I don’t know. Maybe I ate a weird fly, maybe I’m involved in some kind […]

Hand in Hand in Hand in Hand in Hand

Flash Fiction Month 2025, Day 10 Challenge #5: Write a stream-of-consciousness horror story. We know there is a hold-out that we have heard when tending to the fields when diverting the canal when clearing the roads of all these vehicles with empty tanks and open doors. We have caught glimpses while feeding while sleeping while […]

Rudimentary, My Dear Wilson

Flash Fiction Month 2025, Day 9 “Oh no!” said Jim Martimer. “Sir Basketville has died of a heart attack, and based on these footprints it looks as though a very large housecat might have frightened him to death—just like in the family legend! Only the greatest detective in the world could unravel this mystery…” Conveniently, […]

Dear Beloved Friend…

Flash Fiction Month 2025, Day 8 Challenge #4: Write a story focused on royalty with the protagonist’s station chosen by die roll. Optionally, a servant of the royal family must be a pivotal character. My randomly selected protagonist was the second in line for the throne. “I don’t understand!” he cried. “For every ten messages […]

A Ball To Choose a Bride

Flash Fiction Month 2025, Day 7 There once was a prince in need of a bride, so the king arranged for a ball. All the eligible noblewomen were invited, and no expense was spared. The finest wines were brought up from the cellar, and the finest dainties carried from the kitchens by servant boys with […]

The Bandit and the Witch’s Curse

Flash Fiction Month 2025, Day 6 There once was a nation ruled by an indifferent king. Caring only for banquets and games, he let his forests grow wild and his cities fall to ruin. Local lords grew cruel towards their people, and foreign merchants ceased to brave the roads, for many who could not eke […]

Labour, Legacy, Legend

Flash Fiction Month 2025, Day 5 Challenge #3: Write a 369er covering the evolution of a real-life or fictional myth. The sculptor had no time to paint her face or comb her hair. Her concern was the appearance of those around her: the position of the legs, the curve of the spine, the angle of […]

The Dislocation Game

Flash Fiction Month 2025, Day 4 It started small. Brother Epaphras dislocated his finger after dinner one evening, as a parlour trick. Brother Marcus upstaged him by dislocating an elbow. The Abbot overlooked this minor breach of decorum: life in the monastery was isolated and austere, and one had to make a little merriment from […]