“What were we thinking,” Ellen muttered, pulling her jacket closer and leaning into the campfire. “We could be at home cruising the square like everyone else.” She launched into another diatribe at her friends, Cassie, John, Amy and Tom. “No, we’re here freezing huddled around a campfire. When does the fun start?”
Tom handed her a wire hanger. “I think the fun starts when you stop whining.” He continued handing out hanger then passed a bag of marshmallows.
Ellen shoved her marshmallow speared hanger over the flames. It was completely dark out in the wooded hills so far from town and nothing to do. She watched the coals glowing at the base of the fire. Something shifted among them.
She jumped. “Did you see that?”
Amy frowned. “See what?”
Using her hanger as a pointer, she said, “Something’s in there, moving.”
“I don’t see anything.”
Tom jumped, “Hey.”
“Did you see it?”
He laughed. “No, if there was anything in there, it’s dead by now.”
“I just want to get back to town. It’s cold out here.” Ellen pulled her marshmallow in half blowing on one side.
John grinned. “If you’re really cold, you can sleep in my bag with me.” He popped a marshmallow in his mouth.
“Rather freeze, thanks.”
John had been making stupid jokes like that every since he had turned thirteen. It disgusted Ellen then and now that they were seventeen it still disgusted her.
Something slithered through the base of the fire.
Ellen jumped up. “There it is.”
The others seemed to be fixed on her instead of the creature in the fire.
Amy sighed. “Ellen, stop we’re not going back.”
The thing began to congeal into a form pulling itself from the coals and flames. As it grew, so did the fire.
John was the first to notice. “Ah, guys.” He pointed to the growing mass of molten heat shaping itself in front of them.
The creature took form like a flaming demon from some movie. It plunged its arm at John. He flipped over backwards in his chair. The others froze for a moment, before moving. Amy dove into a tent, Cassie ran through the woods towards the jeep.
It turned to Ellen, she stood there like a cobra swaying with the beast lost in the darkness of its eyes.
John grabbed a branch waving it at the demon. It turned. A low growl emanated from inside it and echoed into the night like a rolling laugh. The branch burst into a flaming ball. John dropped it with a yelp.
“Let’s go we have to get out of here.” He raced for the tent, grabbing Amy and pulling her out.
“Ellen, come on.” John ran towards the cars pulling Amy, stumbling with him.
The beast leaned its face closer to Ellen’s. They stood looking into each others eyes.
“What are you?” Ellen asked.
“You are not afraid,” the creature responded.
“No.”
“Good, I am yours.”
“I don’t understand.” Ellen could hear the others screaming for her.
“You made me. You created me. I am a part of you and will serve you.”
A car engine started in the distance. Her name, called by her friends, echoed through the woods.
The beast continued to sway like a flame. “Your friends wait.”
Ellen smiled, backing toward the woods. “I guess we’re going back to town.”
“I wait for your call.” The golden orange mass turned towards her as she moved.
“Name?” Ellen called.
“Elbaz.” The creature called back as she raced through the woods.
Great story. Really good one… Congrats on your first story!!
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Thanks now Day 2 Yikes!!
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I liked “The Page”, Makes me want to read more!!!
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Really? I didn’t think there was really a redeeming character there.
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[…] discovered a quirky little blog of short stories in the supernatural vein including books of demons and zombies. The author, Deidra Alexander, has a refreshingly witty voice. Her blog posts are full […]
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Thank you so much for your review. It’s very flattering.
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I liked story #2. Being physically held to her word is an interesting premise. 🙂
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I think I’m going to run with that one for a bit.
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dear deidra alexander,
thanks to you for liking my poem 🙂 i found your blog interesting with short stories, awesome great!
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Thank you. I think poets have a talent with words I don’t. Thanks for sharing.
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I heard someone say that short-stories are a ‘phobia’. I wonder who that was?
Awesome stories, great imagination and plotting. A bit small even compared to a short story. Some of them read more like a prologue than a complete short story. Just my thoughts.
Congrats on beatin’ the phobia…
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I somehow missed that you commented again. Thanks my short story guru. Yes, I was thinking the same think a bit short. I’m going to try expanding one of them to 40 or 50 pages. So deep breath I keep telling myself I’m just going to write a short bit today, that’s it. Not a whole short story just a bit. Thank you so much for coming back and I hope to see more of your comments. Dee
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Awesome stories!
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Thank you!!
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One word… WoW. What an incredible imagination and ability to take these thoughts and put them down in a way that paints a mental picture.
Thanks for liken’ my blog, I will keep checking back on yours.
btw, I love the picture with The Page story, where do you get them?
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Thanks I’m constantly searching through images to find artists I like just google key words and look through images and try to find the artists.
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D:
Thanks for taking a look at Hags Rags. Keep on writing. Keep on trucking.
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Thanks I plan to put it on my regular list.
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Thanks for visiting Deidra – I find an intriguing, Interesting, inventive and – feisty? (perhaps a glimpse of author peeking through?) set of short stories and whilst fantasy has not been my genre, I find them both refreshing and enjoyable.
May the source stay with you and invention abound. . . . .
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Thank you very much for your beautiful words of praise. I’m glad you found my writings a bit enjoyable though not in your preferred genres. That is truly a compliment.
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Like your post!
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Thanks.
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I really, really love this line from “The Page”: “Tendrils slid from the rough edges of one side of the pages, platting, heaving and knotting themselves together, the tendrils bound themselves together to form the spine for the pages.” Perfection.
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Thanks, my critique group is filled with sweet writers who don’t know quit what to do when I write of human flesh.
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Your a good writer keep it up!
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Thank you, I’m going to expand my writing 2012.
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Love your blog!
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Thank you.
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Seriously Ms dead redemption, if you even think about stopping writing. I will haunt you down. Lasso you dreams and desire. Put them in a steel jar under my bed and send you evil ransom notes until you get back to the computer board. You have been warned.
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This is a threat I’m taking seriously. Thanks.
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Nice 🙂 looking forward to reading more.
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Thank you. Hopefully I will continue to entertain.
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Thank you for liking my “essay” and taking the time to read it in the first place. You’re very talented.
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Thank you, so are you.
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Thank you for liking my post on the The Blog…keep on writing, girl – loving your anecdotes and stuff!
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Thank you, you too.
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I’m a writer, but I am also a photographer. I’d like to invite you to check out my photography some time. It’s on wordpress. I mostly do street photography. It can be gritty and hard, but there are also tender and sweet moments. Wishing you all the best, Russell
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I took a moment to cruise through your photographs. They tell stories we don’t often consider. Thanks.
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Thanks for liking my blog on wordpress..
I have read your blog and wow…I agree with anyone else if u’re such a great writer^^
Keep writing.,.
And hope you could give me some advice about my writing in my blog^^
Thanks
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Thank you for the compliment. I would be glad to answer any questions and offer any advice, but I’m pretty much a novice too.
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I’m missing something. What’s the Short Story Challenge? Did you post something about this elsewhere? Confusion abounds.
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I have a phobia of writing short stories, so I challenged myself to write a short story everyday. As it turns out they were probably too short, so I’m going to work on making some of them longer.
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Wow, I really don’t know where I should start commenting, liking and expressing the overall awe I’m feeling right now! I’d say you certainly are on your way to become a great writer – no kiddin’ – can’t wait to read more.
You also make me want to get back to my own little writing projects and finally put all the ideas floating around in my head onto paper. There’s is so much I want to do and so little time.
I have the exact opposite phobia: I suffer from “novel”-phobia, I guess – anything exceeding 10 000 words of fiction intimidates me. I’m also a very erratic writer – probably not even anything close to a “writer” at all – which doesn’t makes writing longer pieces any easier.
Now let me try to shed some light on the length-question here because while wondering about word count a while ago I did some research:
The SF/F-Writers of America for example specify the categories for the Nebula Awards as follows:
Anything shorter than 7 500 words is considered a short story, anything longer than that but shorter than 17 500 words is considered a novelette and anything between 17 500 and 40 000 words is a novella.
To quote Wikipedia on the term ‘Short Story’:
“In contemporary usage, the term short story most often refers to a work of fiction no longer than 20,000 words and no shorter than 1,000. Stories of less than 1,000 words are sometimes referred to as ‘short short stories’, or ‘flash fiction’.”
Once I find more time for my own writing again I’ll probably dedicate a post to “The Look of a Short Story” and share all the information I’ve got to offer on the topic 🙂
By the way, thank you for liking my post! I truly appreciate it 🙂
Keep up the good work, like I already said you are destined to become an outstanding writer!
Cheers, Sarah
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Thanks for sharing the great info. I’m going to move onto something a little longer and this information rocks. When you start writing again, let me know. I would love to read your stuff. Good luck on the novel. Dee
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I’ve only read “Story 1” so far….(I like to write, but, ironically, hate to read! lol) but that was excellent! …You definitely have talent for sure. Very imaginative, and very compelling with the funny twist.
…Now, about this whole “unmarried” business…. >:) We’re going out for coffee when??? 😉 ….
(Thanks fro following my blog, by the way… 🙂 )
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Twisted sense of humor about sums me up. So you’re returning the Ninja Turtle PJs, really. I like Donte.
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Oh yeah, PJs are going back. I hate those kind with the feet!
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Oh hot!
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I wanted to visit and allow you to know how considerably I treasured discovering your web site today. I’d consider it a good honor to operate at my workplace and be able to use the tips provided on your web-site and also be a part of visitors’ feedback like this. Should a position regarding guest publisher become on offer at your end, remember to let me know.
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Maybe it translate into some useful business practice, but I don’t see it.
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I love THE PAGE! Great blending of innocence and horror… I especially loved the little mental image I got from your words when you described the binding of the pages… the plaiting and weaving of tendrils… gives me a little chill.
A very well-crafted tale… evocative and nicely paced… the words pulling the reader along.
Keep up the great writing, Deirdra!
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Thank you so much for your generous review. I hope to live up to it.
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So nice that you stopped by my blog…very glad to get the chance to read yours as well…inspiring and refreshing!
I always said I wanted to be a writer when I ‘grew up’…wonder when that will be?
Thanks!
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Join us on the dark side.
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Yeah.
I’m Impressed, Ma’am.
Keep Working Your Angles.
I PROMISE To Keep Reading!
You’ve Got A Fan (in the bloggin’ing world, at least)!!!
I Enjoy INTELLIGENT Writing…
…with The Mind That’s ALWAYS Dreaming!!!
A PERFECT-contradiction!
-BRADLEY
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The feeling is mutual. I adore your blog. It is absolutely beautiful and beauty always captures me.
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“Would you believe you want the girl down the street?” LOL! I love it!
So, when do you finish these stories? Do you pick the ones with the most positive responses to flesh out? Do tell!
Lynda
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I’m working on the beastie one right now, but definitely have PJ or the girl down the street up soon after. Keep an eye out for 2012.
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Awesome, awesome stuff you have here Deidra!
I once dreamed of being a fiction writer… now I’m reduced to writing about endangered Hawaiian plants with the odd rhetorical flourish thrown in 😛
I like PJ
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Thank you. You could dream again… I’ve thrown it away and pulled it out of the trash. 🙂
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Awesome! I like seeing someone else attack the page. The story has a driven energy to it and it’s fun to read.
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Thank you. Writing those few short short stories have helped me expand my goals. Funny how facing a fear can do that.
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I really like your short stories. I also think the pictures you have here are amazing.
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Thank you. I’m planning to expand on some of the short stories. The pictures are from various talented souls.
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Hello friend,
Thank you for liking my posts. I love your work.
I saw that you had a short story area, is that an ongoing thing? Can anyone contribute? Are there topics, time or word limits? I love this stuff.
Please let me know.
-Peace
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This is where I overcame my fear of writing flash fictions. Now it’s my ideas for creating short stories.
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Hello friend,
Can I send you my “attempt at writing” flash fiction? If yes, where do I send it? You can reach me thru my blog at Things About Me page.
-Peace
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Very cool site, love your photo – what a great pose. Thanks for liking my paintings. Keep up the good work, I enjoy your writing style, great ideas.
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If I had a super power, maybe I would be an artist. Love your work. Thanks.
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Pfft…You dont need super powers, Deidra. Have you seen my works?! ….And, I’ve actually SOLD some of those LOL! …You just need some good brushes. Although, psychedelic drugs often helps. 😉 lol
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Psychedelic drugs would probably make me normal so I avoid them at all costs. I have a fear of reality. 🙂
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Good collection of stories – good sense of beginnings and momentum.
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Thank you. I’m still working on the end.
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I always was concerned in this topic and still am, regards for putting up.
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Okay
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Hi Deidra,
Here ya go, my attempt.
Enjoy
-Peace
22 Minutes
“I can’t hang on any longer,” Thomas yelled down the line.
“You have to Thomas, if you let go we all die,” someone below yelled back.
“I can’t, Thomas yelled again, I feel like I’m losing my grip.”
Thomas was trying to hold onto the damp rusted steel bar above his head. The air was really hot right now and the little breeze that was blowing on them was sporadic at best. He was young and strong but he knew it wouldn’t be long till his hands would fail him, and the others.
What a bitch to have the lives of others in your hands, literally, he thought.
“Thomas, Thomas,” one of the others below him was yelling, trying to get his attention. “Thomas,”they screamed again.
He snapped out of his funk and yelled back,” What, what the hell do you want now?”
“Thomas, listen, we’ve been talking, we want to try and have one of us climb up to you and hold the bar while you rest.”
“You’re shitting me right? Thomas said, You want to have someone climb over the rest of you all the way up to me and then I hang on to that person?”
“Yes, Thomas, that’s what we think, we feel that would be best for all of us.”
He had to agree, he was getting tired and who knows how much time was left.
“Fine, Thomas said, “Send someone up here then. Make damn sure he’s strong.”
The others had already agreed that the youngest guy, named Philip would be the best choice. Philip was near the bottom of the group and he had now started to climb over the backs of the others. One step on this persons shoulder, then up onto another shoulder,
“Here he comes Thomas, be ready okay?”
Thomas wasn’t exactly excited about this decision but what choice did he have? This wasn’t all about him, there are others here too? He was tired and maybe it was best to have someone else hold onto the bar for awhile.
Philip was getting closer to the top of the group and he knew that when he got to the end he would become the one to hold onto the steel bar for the others. Philip was close now and he could see the bottom of Thomas’s legs just above him. He had never actually spoken to Thomas, since they all first arrived here a few days ago.
Philip was normally quiet and reserved around strangers; so when they all woke up together in this room a few moments ago, he tried to keep to himself. These people were total strangers to him; he tried to figure out his connection to them. He was pretty sure they were thinking the same way as he was. Philip was about to talk to one of them, when the guy called Thomas started banging on the round steel walls of the room yelling to get out. There suddenly came a voice that told them to assemble in the center of the room next to the steel rusty ladder that stood there stretching up so high that you couldn’t see the top. The room itself was dimly lit and felt damp; the circular walls seemed to go up as well with no end in sight, the floor was metal or something and sounded hollow when you walked across it.
It was apparent that they were all locked in here somehow. But why and by who?
This Thomas guy obviously stepped up as a leader of some sort; he was the first one to speak back to the “Keepers.” That’s nickname that everyone used to identify “the voice”. It made sense since everyone here was being kept.
When the “Keepers” told them all to stand on the ladder in the center of the room, one right above the other, head to feet all the way up, it was Thomas who yelled back at them “NO.” He was the only one who had resisted, that is until he was thrown across the room and slammed into the wall by some invisible force. The rest of them complied immediately and stepped up on the ladder in the order the “Keepers” commanded.
Once they were all lined up on the ladder, they were instructed to grab onto the legs or ankles of the person above them.
“Quickly now, you only have 22 minutes before the next group arrives,” the voice yelled out from somewhere at them.
The floor below them started to disappear; as did the walls in the room and so did the ladder one rung at a time. Suddenly they were all suspended in the air, nothing but the black damp air, with only each other to hold onto. Thomas being at the very top was the only one who had the steel ladder rung in his hands. The unlucky few at the very bottom of this human chain fell away into the black below, their screaming getting further and further away. Nobody said much after that, everyone just concentrated on holding on.
Philip grabbed Thomas’s ankle and felt him stiffen up like he was frightened or something, I guess this guy wasn’t the superman everyone below thought he was, Philip thought.
Thomas looked over his shoulder and saw that Philip was now just below his waist and within his reach. Thomas absently took one hand off the steel bar, and offered it to Philip when he realized that he was losing his grip with the one remaining hand, he quickly reached back up and grabbed the bar again with both hands.
“WHEW! That was close”, Thomas whispered.
Philip saw what was happening and quickly reached up past Thomas’s arms and grabbed the bar with his left, then his right hand. He and Thomas were now both occupying the same space. He told Thomas, “you can to let go now, I have a good grip, it’s okay, I have it.”
Thomas slowly took one hand off the bar and slid it down onto Philips arm and finally took his other hand off the bar and started to slide down past Philips belt, then to his ankles. Slowly Thomas descended onto the person below Philip, then down again and again until he was the one at the very bottom of the group.
Thomas looked up at the line of people and wondered how he had held them all up there for so long. Maybe it wasn’t that long really. It seemed like he was at the top for hours, but sneaking a peak at his watch told him it couldn’t have been more than 10 minutes or so total.
A deep voice came out of the rusted darkness.”You must not change positions like that, it is not the way.” They said we had to keep things the way it was from the beginning. Thomas started yelling back at the voice, “screw you, we cannot hold on like this, we have to switch”, why are you doing this anyway?”
There was no reply, only silence, followed by some whimpering in the line. People were hurting, slipping.
Thomas was at the bottom now, he looked down and saw that being on the bottom of the group meant he would most likely be the next to fall into the black darkness below.
The person above him was a young woman, she was humming a familiar tune to herself. He tried to follow the tune but when she caught him trying to listen in she giggled and kept changing songs. She looked down at him and smiled.
Maybe when they got out of here he might ask her out on a date, “We’ll see,” he thought to himself.
Someone yelled out, “Philip, are you holding on okay?”
“Yes, yes I am okay,” Philip yelled back.
Thomas hung there looking down, his arms were tired, and he was really feeling weak. He thought about just letting go, just floating down into the black abyss, at least then it would be over and he could finally rest.
Why not, why not let go, screw this, the “Keepers” are never going to let us go anyway. Looking up at the pretty girl above him he casually took one hand off her leg, she felt him let go and looked down at him she smiled into his eyes and silently told him to hold on.
“Maybe I will hang on just a little bit, yeah a bit longer for her.”
The fact that total strangers are being forced to hang on to each other like a human ladder and the person at the top is holding on to some wet rusty old steel bar with only his two hands so they all don’t fall into the darkness below is insane.
This whole thing was too much to even think about. Thomas felt that there must be a reason why he was here with these strangers. Were they all chosen for a particular reason? Who were all these other people, have I seen them before in my life?
He knew one thing for sure they all were running out of time.
How have they been able to hang on this long? Thomas looked at his watch; the 22 minutes were almost up now.
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Deidra,
Personally enjoyed your story #2 about Alex and Lyon where the phrase “Careful what you wish for” comes to mind.
Thanks for liking my wake up call song by Audio Slave “Like a Stone.”
Check in again from time to time.
Prepare to crossover
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Will do. Thanks for the comment.
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A friend told me about you and he was right!! great writing!!!
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Thank your friend
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I loved all your stories!! They all kept me at the edge of my seat.
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Interestingly, I used to date a girl from St. Catherine’s — decades ago in Virginia — and it wasn’t a Catholic school. Thanks for stopping by and reading some of my work. You might enjoy Through the Glass Darkly, a collection of short stories on Amazon under my nom de plume, L. Stewart Marsden’s . No zombies, but other interesting persons and creatures.
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It’s a pity you don’t have a donate button! I’d most certainly donate
to this fantastic blog! I suppose for now i’ll settle for book-marking and adding your RSS feed to my Google account.
I look forward to new updates and will talk about this blog with my Facebook group.
Chat soon!
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Hi Deidra, thanks for following my blog. I read your stories and really enjoyed them. Keeping writing. It’s always good to read a fellow fiction writer’s work.
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_
Your style is unique in comparison to other folks I’ve read stuff from.
Thank you for posting when you have the opportunity, Guess
I’ll just bookmark this page.
Gretchen
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Thanks.
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Thanks for liking my post. Glad you did and I was able to find your blog. Great stories! Looking forward to some excellent reading ahead…Dave. 😊
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Your very welcome.
Thanks you.
Dee
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I have nominated you to take part in the 3 Day Quote Challenge! Post an inspiring, meaningful of memorable quote for 3 consecutive days and nominate others to take part too! To see how it works click here: https://readandreview2016.wordpress.com/
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Love your grasp of dialogue, it’s so light and springy, what a great story we can’t wait to read more!
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Exactly the kind of short story I wouldnt like to read – but am quite helpless against it compulsive hypnotic grip! You’ve got a fantastic story telling style, look forward to reading more 🙂
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You are such a good writer! I’ve been reading through your stories and all of them are amazing! Honestly, it’s creative people like you who make me wish I could write short stories, or write anything at all 😅
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Nice story! 🙂 Thanks for following my blog.
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Good kick start. May I ask what inspired it?
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Deidre you terrible person you – I just love your tagline 🙂
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