Who Cared?

Robots Contest Entry:

He tinkered for a year, ignoring his phone and only leaving the house for Wacko Wake or the hardware store. The rest was delivered.

The garage was littered with tools and metal shards. The WiFi flicked on for two hours each night so he could comb websites.

His friends had given up on him. Who cared? He was done. Done with living like an open wound, a scrap of plastic blown in someone else’s breeze.

Finally, it was time. He flipped the switch and felt an electric jolt. The eyes lit up. The battery hummed.

Then it spoke. “Yes, master?”

From Guest Contributor Faye Rapoport DesPres

Robots Contest Closed

Hey everyone!

We’ve reached the end of the submission period for the latest contest. I’ve start posting the stories, and I'll be saving the winner for last, as always. A lot of good stories once again, and I’m excited to share them with you all.

We’re still accepting normal story submissions, so please continue sharing your 100-word gems. And if any contest submissions come in now that the deadline is closed, I’ll post them with the other submissions, but they won’t be eligible for sweet, sweet victory.

Thanks for all your contributions!

If anyone has any recommendations for the next contest theme, put them in the comments below.

That is all.

Flash Fiction Contest: Robots!

Hello fellow humans!

It's spring here in the Pacific Northwest, and that means it's time for a new flash fiction contest. Starting today, I'll be accepting submissions for our 100-word story contest, with the theme of Robots.

This is meant to be a broad category, to cover everything from cyborgs and killer computer brains to artificial intelligence and machine learning tools. There's a rich history of robots and computers in all types of genres, not just traditional science fiction, so I encourage you to be creative.

The theme was inspired by an ongoing project I'm working on, in which I'm using an AI writing tool to create entirely original stories. The first story I had this AI write was, appropriately enough, exactly 100 words:

The Boy Who Lived With Robots And Had A Photographic Memory

I lived in a house with only robots for company. They did my cooking, cleaning, and even waking me up for school. They weren't my parents. They were always there, but they were never a family to me.

One day I was wandering the halls of my house when I encountered a room I'd never seen before. In the center of this room was a large glass table with a crystal ball on it, and above was a large sign that read “Crystal Ball Room.” Never having seen this room before, I wondered if it was even real at all.

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Does this qualify as a story? I'll allow you to be the judge. But for me personally, I'm getting prepared to welcome our new robot overlords.

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Here are the rules for the contest:

1. All stories must somehow engage with the theme of robots, AI, or anthropomorphic machines. Be creative.
2. The story must be exactly 100 words, not including the title.
3. Only one submission per person. All entries are due by May 31st.

That's it. Start writing. I hope I get plenty of stories, so please spread the word.

*Note: This contest is meant for fun. While there are no actual prizes, as always, EXTREME bragging rights are involved!

Recovery

“Hi darling,” the young man giggled, noticing a pretty woman leaning towards him. “Which one are you?”

The woman left in disgust. Two men cloaked in white entered.

“Nasty blow to your head,” one confirmed in a heavy accent following something vocalized by the other. “You remember anything?”

“Molly’s. I left Molly’s. Might’ve been O’Hara’s,” the patient prattled. “Didn’t see Molly.”

The two towering over his bed exchanged words.

“When can I leave?” the patient interjected. “Molly is waiting for me. Best beer on the house.”

“You’re in Spain, recovering from an all-nighter at an Irish Pub,” explained the doctor.

From Guest Contributor Krystyna Fedosejevs

Krystyna writes poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction regardless of the season, although she prefers spring.

Keep Movin’

—Get in the car, doll.

—Where we goin’, Roy?

—To get us some money.

—Gonna buy me something pretty?

—The world, babe.

—Slow down. You almost—

—Look in your purse.

—A gun.

—Know how to use it?

—Point and pull?

—That’s all.

—Who’m I gonna point it at?

—You’ll see.

—Why the mystery?

—There’s Buster, on that park bench.

—You gonna stop?

—He ain’t movin’.

—Looks like a bullet hole in his head.

—Change of plan, doll.

—Who killed him, Roy?

—Wasn’t me.

—Didn’t Buster teach you all you know?

—Main thing he said was, keep movin’.

—Slow down, Roy.From Guest Contributor Joe Surkiewicz

Joe writes from northern Vermont.

Contest Winner: Mark Thomas

I just posted this month's winning story, Bass Fishing In America by Mark Thomas. Congratulations to Mark on the winning story and thanks to everyone who participated in the latest flash fiction contest. As always, to the winner goes the bragging rights.

I'm going to take a break and be back in a couple months with a new contest. Perhaps a holiday themed one??? Only time will tell.

Contest Submissions Are Closed

Hey everyone!

We've reached the end of the submission period for the latest contest. I'll start posting the stories tomorrow, saving the winner for last, as always. A lot of good stories once again, and I'm excited to share them with you all.

We're still accepting normal story submissions, so please continue sharing your 100-word gems. And if any contest submissions come in now that the deadline is closed, I'll post them with the other submissions, but they won't be eligible for sweet, sweet victory.

Thanks for all your contributions!

That is all.

It's Time To Get Out And Enjoy Nature

Unfortunately, for many of us, we can't. Or not the way we might be used to. So that's the topic of our next 100-word story contest: Nature.

Submissions are due by May 31st. Please follow the normal submission guidelines (here) but also include Nature Contest in the subject header so I know it is for the contest. One contest submission per person (though you are free to submit as many nature-themed stories for regular posting as you want).

Remember, I’ll still be posting non-contest-related posts on a daily basis, so keep sending in your stories, on any topic!

The rules are simple:

1. All stories must somehow engage with the theme nature. Be creative.
2. The story must be exactly 100 words, not including the title.
3. Only one submission per person. All entries are due by May 31st.

Starting in June, I'll for the most part post the stories in the order I received them, but I will keep the winning story for last.

That's it. Start writing. I hope I get plenty of stories, so spread the word.

*Note: This contest is meant for fun. While there are no actual prizes, EXTREME bragging rights are involved!

The end times are nigh. Let's write some stories.

With forced quarantines around the world, there's never been a better time to stay in and write. I'd like to help. That's why I'm adding a new feature to the site.

Beginning April 1st, each month I'll be opening up submissions based on a particular theme or genre. Every day, I'll post one story for the contest, saving my favorite for the last day of the month. (I've amended this part of the contest, because it didn't make sense when entries were still incoming. I will post the stories as they come in, and then announce the winner at the end) Assuming we get enough submissions, that will be 20 or so stories a month. And that's in addition to the general submission stories I'm already posting.

Basically, it means you'll get to enjoy two stories a day instead of one. Plus, some lucky writer will get to tell their readers they've won a flash fiction contest.

For month one, starting in April, the theme will be Historical Fiction.

The rules are simple:

1. All stories must be set in a time period pre-2000.
2. While it doesn't need to be obvious, there has to be some indication within the story what the time period is. This might be anachronistic costume or technology, archaic language, or anything else you can imagine. Be creative.
3. The story must be exactly 100 words, not including the title.

That's it. Start writing. I hope I get plenty of stories, so spread the word.

Could there be a better way to face the end of the world?

*Note: This contest is meant for fun. While there are no actual prizes, extreme bragging rights are involved!

The Golden Thread Part One

“It’s too dark. I heard there are tigers in this jungle.”

“Yes.”

“Ordinary tigers?”

“Different. They’re faster, and their fangs have venom, like a snake.”

“What if we see one?”

“They will see you first. Just watch. Just be still.”

“How can we be still with tigers after us?”

“They’re not after us.”

“What if they catch us?”

“If you run they will chase you and they will catch you. They tear the throat, and the poison goes in the blood. It paralyzes you, makes you blind, makes you forget why you are here. And then you drop the thread.”From Guest Contributor Brook Bhagat

Brook Bhagat’s poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and humor have appeared in Empty Mirror Magazine, Little India, Dămfīno, Nowhere Poetry, Rat's Ass Review, Peacock Journal, A Story in 100 Words, Anthem: A Tribute to Leonard Cohen, and other journals and anthologies. She has completed a full-length poetry manuscript, is writing a novel, and is editor-in-chief of Blue Planet Journal. She holds an MFA from Lindenwood University and teaches creative writing at a community college. More at brook-bhagat.com