 Theme: Noir She took an endless drag of her Camel, snuffing it in day-old Lo Mein, before she spoke, “What’s this pansy bullshit? You got no respect for family, Mick.” Mick was flummoxed. He’d followed protocol, sending her husband to sleep with the fishes. ~ Bio: Lisa H.O., a fan of things going awry, adores the subtle humor in a good noir piece where things don’t work out as planned. She writes a variation of genres—keeping the stories relatable but weird. She reads them to her daughter. Lisa H.O. Rejected 1/2/2022 Created for "42 Stories" an anthology referencing The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Parameters: Theme: Noir 42-Character Title 42-Word Story 42-Word Author Bio using a pseudonym
0 Comments
 Theme: Zombie “Jesus, Clyde, wipe your mouth. You have something right there,” Sunny’s words garbled through a hole in her neck as she touched one peeling finger to a spot where Clyde’s lip used to be. She daintily dabbed the speck of dried intestine. ~ Bio: Lisa Huff O. watched every season of “The Walking Dead,” but shunned “Fear the Walking Dead,” considering it to be overkill. She was an extra (Zombie #5) in the award-winning film, “Darkness,” her daughter created for her final Communication Studies class project. Lisa Huff O. Rejected 1/3/2022 Created for "42 Stories" an anthology referencing The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Parameters: Theme: Zombie 42-Character Title 42-Word Story 42-Word Author Bio using a pseudonym  Theme: Clown “It was like a goddamn bomb went off. Rubber noses, rainbow wigs and endless hankies everywhere. Bounce-House ended up in a tree. Happy birthday, Billy. Kid’s face is gonna be scarred for life.” “What happened?” “Fuckin’ trick candles blew everything to smithereens.” ~ Bio: L.H. Owens has a weird sense of humor. Her stories reflect recurring nightmares, beginning in third grade when an older kid told her about Frankenstein. L. H. uses humor to diffuse terror but doesn’t mind if readers share her sleepless nights. L. H. Owens Rejected 1/1/2022 Created for "42 Stories" an anthology referencing The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Parameters: Theme: Clown 42-Character Title 42-Word Story 42-Word Author Bio using a pseudonym  Bobloneous punched one mighty fist through the barricaded entryway, dropping low in a defensive stance. He couldn't get sloppy now. Not when the fruit of his labor was so close he could nearly taste it. He detected movement and roared, "SHOW THYSELF, YE WITLESS NIMROD," unsheathing his sword and rising to meet his foe. A door creaked and he waited patiently as the patter of stealthy footsteps drew near. His muscles tensed, ready to strike down his enemy. He heard a pathetic mewl and looked down to find a starving kitten staring up at him with startling blue eyes. The kitten rolled onto his back, a loud purr echoing throughout the silent chamber. Bobloneous bent and swooped the kitten up in one graceful motion. He placed the nearly weightless beast under his shirt collar, out of harm's way, while he cautiously proceeded through the dwelling, clearing rooms one-by-one. All empty. He scratched his head in bafflement. Then scratched in earnest. His neck was on fire. He freed the kitten from the confines of his linen undershirt, setting him gently on a rough-hewn table. His chest was a mass of hives. He clawed at his throat as it became increasingly difficult for him to breathe. Spittle flew from his blue lips, as in anguish, he dropped his sword and collapsed to the slate floor, murmuring, "Killed by a little pussy. Well played, Leonitus. Well played." Lisa H. Owens Created for a Creative Writing Prompt: Your hero dies in the dumbest way possible. January 10, 2022 |