Menu

Subscribe

Instant Story

Flash fiction fresh from my fingers to your mind!

Challenge #04344-K326: Just a Pause

"You're going to die if you don't stop."

I don't care I have to keep going.

"You've done so much to help everyone already. See? The crisis is now very well in hand."

But it isn't enough yet.

"Please, you're hurting yourself, your feet in in blisters, you're growing so thin, forgive us.. but if we have to, we'll make you rest."

This prompt strongly reminds me of this story. A person driving themselves to pain and possibly to a death that no one desires them to suffer.

https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04272-k254-unreachable-goal -- Anon Guest

[AN: I suspect two Nonnies gave me this one. Thanks to the both of you]

"Take your rest. It's your turn," they said. I'm not done. There's more to do. There's always more to do. So... much... more... to do.

"Not yet," I repeat. "Not yet. I have more to do." There was always more.

Then someone dribbled a pinch of fine sand through thumb and forefinger, and muttered a simple, ancient word. After that, exhaustion, lassitude, and more than a little magic dragged me down.

Someone must have caught me. I only knew because nothing hurt when I woke. Well. Nothing was injured when I woke. My feet were pulsing with the echoes of past footsteps. They threatened worse when I tried to shift my weight using them.

Support me on Patreon / Buy me a Ko-fi

Continue Reading

Prompts remaining: 23 Submit a Prompt!
Ask a question

Challenge #04343-K325: Escape From the Gilded Cage

The Pax Humanis agent came in to destroy a cruel cult leader. The cult leader was one of the rare ones that got the drop on the agent, prepared to finish them off. A child of the cult leader ended the leader to save the killer, tearfully telling the killer, thank you, they were finally not going to hurt anymore. -- Anon Guest

Murder, it is said, is for the unimaginative. That statement can go both ways if you think about it

Read more »

Challenge #04342-K324: Giving a Hand

They wanted to be a Great Hero, wearing gleaming armor and recognized through the land.

They became a Great Hero, without fanfare or armor, the night they were willing to dislodge boulders which cascaded and jammed tight as the strongest brickwork ever known into the ravine, stopping a massive flood from destroying the city. Even though it cost them their primary hand. -- Anon Guest

Heroism only looks like a gleaming costume, a white charger, or a blazing sword. That's how heroes

Read more »

Challenge #04341-K323: Adapt and Thrive

Deep in the woods, the howl of the wolves, off in the seas, our brothers play. Up in the skies, our sisters fly, their eyes in the cities is my way. -- Fighting Fit

Children of the night, what interesting music they make. Sing, my family of shadows. Sing the song of the moon and stars. Even when you can't see them. I sing to street lamps, cars, trucks and trains. The moon will hear me nonetheless.

It is a forest of

Read more »

Challenge #04340-K322: A Pound of Protection

The elderly grandmother asked for some of the very long locks from Wraithvine. There were many squares being added to the quilt. Long fur, hair from other elves not too proud to donate, plants turned into linen, silk squares from spider weavings, and from silkworms, etc. All of it blessed. Who was this blanket for? A set of quadruplets, two hellkin, one halloblood, one human, who were happily cuddled together in a large cradle, that their exhausted, smiling, mother lovingly rocked while

Read more »

Challenge #04339-K321: Extensive Measures

By the time help arrives, those that did not die in the crash are in very bad shape. Dangerously thin, even their Gyiik friend. What was the problem? Poisonous plants? Yes and no. Large plants were edible, but to get to them, one had to traverse the equivalent of a field full of miniature gympie-gympie, and they were right in the center of a massive meadow of them. Native animals were immune, humans and others? Not so much.

https://peakd.com/fiction/

Read more »

Challenge #04338-K320: Help With Moving

Hefting yet another box of books outside and leaning against a sore back.

"This would be so much easier with magic"

[Wraithvine shows up] "Someone say magic?"

"You don't mind helping clean a library?"

[Wraithvine with a grin] "Libraries are my favorite places to relax."

"Great, grab a box" -- Anon Guest

[AN: Wraithvine's a lot more subtle than that, lol]

Moving a library is difficult business. It has to be done when the old library runs out of room or falls

Read more »

Challenge #04337-K319: Blot on the Record

"Ah, Tori, my human friend, why so tired?"

My puppy is obsessed with playing ball.

"Oh, it can't be that bad."

Fine, puppy-sit and I can take a nap.

---next day----

"Your puppy is obsessed with playing ball!"

See? I told you. I love it, but man, I sure get tired. -- Anon Guest

They were thinking about calling the puppy The Unstoppable Force. He certainly never seemed to stop whenever someone was observing him. People, according to Blot the Dog[1]

Read more »

Challenge #04336-K318: A New Challenger

So, kid, you want to fight this old devil to see if I still have skills? You sure? Well I'm slowed with age, but sure I'll humor you. But remember, you did challenge me, not the other way around. Still, you did ask politely, so I won't be - too - rough. -- Anon Guest

After he turned one hundred and seven, Kosh routinely wore his hakama because it was easier to don. His ageing hands were tired of buckles and his

Read more »

Challenge #04335-K317: Essential to the Family

Some have many wives, I have many husbands. We are very happy together and we don't care what anyone else says. So bugger off. -- The New Guy

The old joke goes that you need a polycule just to survive in this economy. It's funny because it's true. You would not believe how much we save by buying in bulk and pooling our incomes.

As for sleeping arrangements - that's none of your diddly-dang business. All you need to know is that

Read more »

Challenge #04334-K316: Mourning is Broken

They set a flower upon the ground before a stone. When asked, they stated they were an orphan. But how could they be one if their parents raised them? Just because they were now an adult did not mean they were not their family's child. Looking sorrowfully upon the asker, they stated, their voice straining with pain. "In the end, almost all of us will end up orphans one day." -- Anon Guest

Lorin stared at the names on the memorial. How

Read more »

Monday: It's ALIIIIIVE!

Finally. We have a permanent fix. Which is an automated daily restart of my hub site. Fingers crossed, everything shall remain normal for a majority of visitors here. If not, try again at a different hour the next day.

For those of you just here for the stories, here's what you missed:

Read more »

Challenge #04315-K297: Not so Much Bull

The polity had a reputation of shockingly low numbers of rescues coming from there. Curiosity got the better of some who snuck to the polity to the surprise it was cleaner than most, and the people.. while not exactly treated like gold, were also not treated as though they were lower than animals either. Then they heard the tale from one individual, of how the CEO's cared enough to sacrifice their own comfort, to care for others when those others were in

Read more »

Wednesday, Rant Due, Internet Woes, and Shenanigans

My site is back up! Yay.

My internet is down. Boo.

I'm currently able to send this because phone data works with my laptop.

So. For those of you who missed the updates on my other places, the list of tales you missed before today:

It's only two, but at least they're readily accessed. I will be tagging this blog entry as Instant Story. For the archive.

I'll be posting the daily

Read more »

Challenge #04312-K294: Holy Miswrit

Ever since us humans reached for the stars, colonizing planets took time. So we needed a lot of hands. so we did what we did best, multiply.

So you’re telling me this is the fury of only seven divine gods?

Would you like to taste 15 trillion? -- Anon Guest

They say faith can move mountains. The better tools are picks, shovels, and determination. That said, belief is still a fantastic power. The wrath of the gods is nothing compared to

Read more »