Fire Starters
Welcome back to Stock Fiction, the short fiction, nonfiction, poetry, humor and multimedia publication created by me, Meg Oolders.
Today’s post doubles as a shout out to my friend and fellow fictioneer
who writes . Twice a month, Justin hosts a little story soiree he calls “Fifties by the Fire." It’s a cozy place to get inspired, write a few (exactly fifty) choice words of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry, and share them with other writers in his community. I started dropping in on these threads back in December and have amassed a small collection of micro-tales in the process.Some of you may have read these around the campfire already. But for those who haven’t, I hope you will enjoy this eclectic curation of my diminutive works.
December 16th, 2022
Be Here With Me
I throw back the last watery brown slug of bourbon. It does nothing to soothe the lump in my throat. The phone rings behind the bar. The bartender answers and her eyes land on me. She nods and hands me the receiver.
“Hello?”
“Baby?” he says.
“Yes.”
“Please come home.”
January 6th, 2023
Choice to Change
When we are witness to another’s suffering, we have three choices.
We can ignore them.
We can empathize with them.
Or we can act in service to them.
When we ignore, we change nothing.
When we empathize, we change ourselves.
And when we act in service, we change the world.
June 23rd, 2023
David’s Eyes
David says he watched them blink on, one at a time,
like nightlights triggered by the velvet darkness.
But for me, there were two skies that night.
The one before David,
and the one after.
David’s hands. David’s lips. David’s eyes.
Not on the stars, but on me.
Just me.
July 7th, 2023
Freedom From Fear
Walking home alone she braces for danger. She’s paralyzed. Fingers laced through her keys. Death on her mind.
Walking home alone he doesn’t worry. He’s distracted. Face in his phone. She’s on his mind. He could have walked with her. But it was out of his way.
She’ll be fine.
July 21st, 2023
Sea Glass
Jagged shards of empty vice scattered over shoals.
Stolen by the moon’s servant to be pulled and rolled and rocked and lulled into blue lavender luminescence.
Reclaimed by the sand, the shards become precious. Glowing gems to the curious eyes and outstretched hands of children.
Held up to the sun.
October 27th, 2023
One Night Stand
At last, she sleeps. Sulfuric breath rattles under her immaculate breasts. Her belly, swollen with hellish life only moments after their entwining, glows red. He hastily pulls his pants over the scorched remains of his manhood. Fabric meets raw flesh, and he cries out in agony.
“Going somewhere?” she asks.
Lovely bite size scenes. Thanks for sharing them!
I've done some of the Fifties by the Fire stories, and I will do more.
My initial reaction was that it was kind of a pointless exercise. But I find that it coaxes me to be precise and to make very word count.