Prose – Page 47 – Poetry, Short Prose and Walking

Volume – Six Sentence Story

“The Good Spirit knows everything about you and he’s apt to forgive you but you have to submit to him and want it,” the ancient guru who lived only on air and was said to float about the temple high in the mountain explained.

I was still curious and so while seated at his feet, I asked him, “And what about the Bad Spirit?”

“Ah, the Bad Spirit knows a good deal about you as well but he’s only interested in what he can use as blackmail to keep your mouth shut.”

He didn’t seem to have anything more to reveal and I couldn’t think of anything more to ask him and so I lowered the volume of the sound of my breathing and I sat.

When the sun set he suddenly twisted his head unnaturally in my direction showing his burning eyes and steamy horns making me jump wishing I never risked the arduous climb up this mountain and wondering if I could find my way back down in the dark.

“So, in your current circumstances, boy, which one of those spirits do you think it’s now safer to serve?”

Linked to Six Sentence Stories where Denise offers the prompt word “volume” to use in the story. For another story about Satan, I highly recommend reading Zack and Zelda’s Church Nightmare (mostly fiction).

GirlieOnTheEdge Denise Farley's six-sentence-stories icon — GirlieOnTheEdge Denise Farley’s six-sentence-stories icon

Snacking on Jezebel – Carrot Ranch

“How would you distinguish Baal from Yahweh?”

“Yahweh gets things done. After the prophet poured oil on Jehu, proclaiming him king, he ran off. Jehu’s officers thought the prophet was an idiot until they heard the announcement: Yahweh anointed Jehu to drain the swamp. Jehu killed Jehoram and Ahaziah. At Jehu’s command eunuchs threw Jezebel from her window. While Jehu and his men got refreshments, dogs snacked on Jezebel.”

“That’s a gruesome story.”

“Jehu killed Ahab’s entire family and anyone he could get his hands on associated with Baal.”

“I see. Beware when Yahweh has His fill of you.”

Linked to Carrot Ranch’s September 24 Flash Fiction Challenge where Charli Mills offers the theme of snacking. You can read more about Jehu in 2 Kings chapters 9 and 10 where it is told in more detail and better than I have.

This is Yom Kippur. Although unrelated to the story, after listening to Jonathan Cahn’s Yom Kippur Broadcast, I put the finishing touches on the story:

Jonathan Cahn Yom Kippur Broadcast

Rights | Frank Hubeny

I am grateful to the editor, Sammi Cox, of Whispers and Echoes for publishing this story, “Rights”.

Elastic Truth – Six Sentence Story

“We engage them with intimidation and bait them with lies to trip them up and trap them in emotional and costly accusations.”

“That sounds, however, like something they could avoid.”

“Some of them can, but we have successfully undermined – made elastic – the ethical foundations of others so much so that we are able to keep a significant part of their population fearful and gullible about anything their media gives us the opportunities to tell them.”

“What backup is there if this doesn’t work?”

“As backup we have compromised key politicians, officials and professional leadership who can be blackmailed if need be to act in our interests and we’ve manipulated their radicalized stooges to foment social unrest – and, don’t forget, our scientists have now proven that they can engineer targeted and deadly viruses.”

“So, if what you’re telling me is true, as long as they keep shooting themselves in the foot, we have a chance to get our hands around their throats.”

Linked to Six Sentence Story where Denise offers the prompt word “elastic” which must appear somewhere in a story of only six sentences.

Kettle – Six Sentence Story

George and his wife escaped from their burning apartment. Local politicians, some of whom he voted for, and reporters, labeled the rioting a peaceful protest, but he couldn’t see anything peaceful about the looting of his small store while the police were told to stand down. It would take years for them to recover from this toxic self-righteousness.

Standing apart from the rioters in an alley George tried to identify the mistakes they made that led to their decision to settle in this city three decades ago. He couldn’t think of anything fundamentally wrong with their decisions. He might still be wondering how they could have done things differently were it not for a large kettle containing fluids that exploded, scalding him and his wife, bringing them to their knees and then laying them on the ground.

Linked to Six Sentence Stories where Denise offers the word “kettle” to use in a story having six sentences.

Songs One Can’t Forget – Flash Fiction

“I hope the kids don’t remember that song you used to sing to them about the bird and the word.”

“I didn’t sing it for long. When they got older, I pretended to be the voice of their doll, Sweetie Baby.”

“You know, we still have that doll in case they ever want it.”

“It’s good to keep stuff like that. Actually some of those old songs aren’t any goofier than the ones they sing today. No wonder we’re all messed up.”

“At least the grand kids don’t know the song.”

“Unfortunately I sang it to them as well.”

Linked to Carrot Ranch’s September 10th Flash Fiction Challenge. Charli Mills offers the prompt to use something heard on the radio now or in the past.

Gallery – A Six Sentence Story

“All those tiny people in the gallery don’t know it but they’re at the center of the universe,” Mark asserted.

George protested, “The universe doesn’t have a center.”

And so the claims and counter-claims of George and Mark came and went, often nowhere. Where would one want them to go? Should they flutter to the whatchamacallit radio source at Sagittarius A*?

“And,” Mark continued, “if those tiny people in the gallery are at the center of the universe they’re right smack dab where they ought to be.”

Linked to Six Sentence Story where Denise offers the challenge word “gallery”.

Tiny Shadows at the Center of the Universe

High Winds – Flash Fiction

The only high winds were Windy, the wolf, so Straw, the pig, built a house of straw. Brick overbuilt with bricks. Stick used what was lying around, sticks. Both annoyed Straw. “It’s not fair!” Straw complained to Windy. He wanted all three houses.

Windy went to Stick’s home and blew it down. Chomp! He ate Stick. Then he went to Brick’s home. Brick gave Straw a key. Straw lent it to Windy. Chomp!

When Windy returned Straw squealed, “Perfect!” Windy, mind-blown as ever, thought: yummy. Chomp! He (gasp!) ate Straw.

Moral: Some high winds can take your breath away.

Linked to Carrot Ranch’s September 3rd Flash Fiction Challenge where Charli Mills offers the theme of “high winds” for these 99-word stories.

Lemon Queens – Flash Fiction

They call themselves the Lemon Queens, bitter as a lemon and twice as nasty. Don’t get me wrong. I love lemons. I even eat the rind. But those two with their cursing, spitting and hostility give lemons a bad name.

I have no intention of kneeling to these queens to pacify them. That’s just what they want. That’s just what they’re not going to get.

We arrested them last night. They hurled a trash can through a store window. Their lawyer insisted they were peaceful protesters. Then someone bailed them out. Now someone will have to arrest them again.

Linked to Carrot Ranch’s August 27 Flash Fiction Challenge where Charli Mills offers the theme of “Lemon Queens” for these 99-word stories.

Bend – A Six Sentence Story

We didn’t care that Jim was short on brains. We all liked him.

However, a few weeks ago he must have taken the wrong turn at a bend in some alley. He stopped clubbing and fooling around with us when we chased stuff that didn’t want to be chased. He even refused to help us tip dumpsters.

We couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him, but we all knew he was a certified idiot when he finally told us that he had smartened up.

Linked to the Six Sentence Story challenge at GirlieOnTheEdge where Denise offers the prompt word “bend”.