A Flash of Horror - Part 2 of ?
Yesterday I came up with a few ideas for my flash fiction horror story. I'm not going to pursue two of the ideas, I'm interested in two of the other ideas, and Oleg has one that he likes.
I'm not going to delve into the kidnapping and torturing a doctor thing, although I think that people might be enthusiastic about that one. I'm also not going to pursue the shrink that shrinks heads, although I do think that could be a humorous horror story in the future.
I'm interested in the forced inoculation story about a kid becoming a zombie and eating his sister in front of his mom. That's some pretty great sounding science fiction/fantasy horror. I'm also interested in the flashback false execution story. I think that that could cause some pondering in those who encounter the story.
And finally, I received this message from Oleg yesterday after he read my post:
Hi, Jeffrey!
Go for the succubus story idea. The anthology MUST have a succubus story!
So, I've been thinking about the succubus story too. There are two issues with the succubus story. One - I think it might be weird for friends and family to read. But, that might be true with any of the horror stuff I write. (Don't worry, I have a wide variety of tastes so it won't all be horror. Science fiction and fantasy draw me the most). Two - succubi can be interpreted in different ways. I've been thinking about them slowly stealing the life force of men over a period of time through sex. I'm not sure if that will work great for a 1,000 word flash fiction story. I could focus on the final time, the death scene, or I could interpret succubi differently. Anyway, it's a possibility.
But, today I'm going to play with the zombie story because it interests me. Or, maybe I'll do a little of each; we'll see.
Alright, I'm going to call it there for today. Technically this post is two days worth of work. I guess I write at a George R. R. Martin or Patrick Rothfuss level pace. This is about halfway, before I go back and revise. I'm also going to explore the execution flashback story and the succubus story, but I'm liking this one so far.
"The City of Peace" - A future history science fiction utopia/dystopia action adventure in a framed story of a father telling his son a story about the child's grandfather.
http://www.jeffreyalexandermartin.com/2017/08/the-xprize-writing-contest-part-5-of-5.html
"The Birth of Hanniba'al" - A dark, somewhat alternative, historical origin story for the Carthage General Hannibal.
http://www.jeffreyalexandermartin.com/2017/11/write-michigan-short-story-contest-part_30.html
Here are three of my most popular posts.
"The Making of a Great First Line in Fiction"
http://www.jeffreyalexandermartin.com/2017/12/the-making-of-great-first-line-in.html
"A Letter to My Niece in 2034"
http://www.jeffreyalexandermartin.com/2017/12/a-letter-to-my-niece-in-2034.html
"The Most Important Question in Philosophy - Part 4 of 4"
http://www.jeffreyalexandermartin.com/2017/11/the-most-important-question-in.html
You can find more of what I'm doing here: http://www.JeffreyAlexanderMartin.com
You can support this page at https://www.patreon.com/JeffreyAlexanderMartin
I'm not going to delve into the kidnapping and torturing a doctor thing, although I think that people might be enthusiastic about that one. I'm also not going to pursue the shrink that shrinks heads, although I do think that could be a humorous horror story in the future.
I'm interested in the forced inoculation story about a kid becoming a zombie and eating his sister in front of his mom. That's some pretty great sounding science fiction/fantasy horror. I'm also interested in the flashback false execution story. I think that that could cause some pondering in those who encounter the story.
And finally, I received this message from Oleg yesterday after he read my post:
Hi, Jeffrey!
Go for the succubus story idea. The anthology MUST have a succubus story!
So, I've been thinking about the succubus story too. There are two issues with the succubus story. One - I think it might be weird for friends and family to read. But, that might be true with any of the horror stuff I write. (Don't worry, I have a wide variety of tastes so it won't all be horror. Science fiction and fantasy draw me the most). Two - succubi can be interpreted in different ways. I've been thinking about them slowly stealing the life force of men over a period of time through sex. I'm not sure if that will work great for a 1,000 word flash fiction story. I could focus on the final time, the death scene, or I could interpret succubi differently. Anyway, it's a possibility.
But, today I'm going to play with the zombie story because it interests me. Or, maybe I'll do a little of each; we'll see.
- - - - - - -
"Johanna! Don't you go in that room." Three-year-olds are full of innocence and mischief. Neither were good things in this situation.
"I told you, Matt is sick, you need to stay out of his room. Go play in your room." Susan put her left hand on her daughter's shoulder and steered her towards her bedroom. It was the seventh day, or the sixth, or the eighth. It was something like that. She was exhausted, the days were blending together. Johanna's long blonde hair swished back and forth as she disappeared into her room.
Susan looked down at her right hand and sighed; another wet cloth. Keeping Matt's fever under control had just about proved impossible. Since the quarantine a few days ago it had just been her and the kids; no help, no one had even come to check up on them like they said they would. She had called the North American Center for Disease Attenuation (NACDA), just like they said to do when you need help, but after an hour on hold the machine thanked her for her call and hung up. She hadn't tried again since.
"Matt, honey, how are you doing?" She spoke softly as she came into the room, like if her words were too loud they would hurt him. Like her words could make him safe, could make him wake up, could keep him alive. He hadn't said anything back for a day now. His eyes had a wild look in them, and the color seemed to be changing a little bit. Maybe she was imagining things because she was so tired.
When she went to put the cloth on his forehead he nipped at her arm. Just a little. He had only started doing that today. They had told her that no one had died from the side effects of the inoculation. It only lasted for a few days. That was more than a few days ago. What could be so wrong that Matt was acting like an animal? Nipping at her like a dog?
She leaned back in her chair. It was covered in three blankets and two pillows; an attempt at comfort. If she left the house the kids would be alone, and she would be putting other people in danger of getting infected. Or, if she took Johanna with her then Matt would be completely alone, and she couldn't stand the thought of that. Who would take care of him? NACDA said that if she left the house before they told her she could then she would be put under arrest and moved to a secure location. What would happen to Johanna? Johanna wasn't even sick! Just Matt.
Matt had been kind of a skinny ten-year-old to begin with. Now, jeez - he couldn't keep anything down. They were running out of food too, that didn't help. He probably needed something other than noodles, but that's most of what they had left. She could just march out of the door and find the nearest officer and demand that they at least bring her some food - at least!
Johanna wasn't making enough noise.
Susan looked down at her right hand and sighed; another wet cloth. Keeping Matt's fever under control had just about proved impossible. Since the quarantine a few days ago it had just been her and the kids; no help, no one had even come to check up on them like they said they would. She had called the North American Center for Disease Attenuation (NACDA), just like they said to do when you need help, but after an hour on hold the machine thanked her for her call and hung up. She hadn't tried again since.
"Matt, honey, how are you doing?" She spoke softly as she came into the room, like if her words were too loud they would hurt him. Like her words could make him safe, could make him wake up, could keep him alive. He hadn't said anything back for a day now. His eyes had a wild look in them, and the color seemed to be changing a little bit. Maybe she was imagining things because she was so tired.
When she went to put the cloth on his forehead he nipped at her arm. Just a little. He had only started doing that today. They had told her that no one had died from the side effects of the inoculation. It only lasted for a few days. That was more than a few days ago. What could be so wrong that Matt was acting like an animal? Nipping at her like a dog?
She leaned back in her chair. It was covered in three blankets and two pillows; an attempt at comfort. If she left the house the kids would be alone, and she would be putting other people in danger of getting infected. Or, if she took Johanna with her then Matt would be completely alone, and she couldn't stand the thought of that. Who would take care of him? NACDA said that if she left the house before they told her she could then she would be put under arrest and moved to a secure location. What would happen to Johanna? Johanna wasn't even sick! Just Matt.
Matt had been kind of a skinny ten-year-old to begin with. Now, jeez - he couldn't keep anything down. They were running out of food too, that didn't help. He probably needed something other than noodles, but that's most of what they had left. She could just march out of the door and find the nearest officer and demand that they at least bring her some food - at least!
Johanna wasn't making enough noise.
- - - - - - -
Alright, I'm going to call it there for today. Technically this post is two days worth of work. I guess I write at a George R. R. Martin or Patrick Rothfuss level pace. This is about halfway, before I go back and revise. I'm also going to explore the execution flashback story and the succubus story, but I'm liking this one so far.
________________________________________________
I've written two fictional pieces that I like so far.
"The City of Peace" - A future history science fiction utopia/dystopia action adventure in a framed story of a father telling his son a story about the child's grandfather.
http://www.jeffreyalexandermartin.com/2017/08/the-xprize-writing-contest-part-5-of-5.html
"The Birth of Hanniba'al" - A dark, somewhat alternative, historical origin story for the Carthage General Hannibal.
http://www.jeffreyalexandermartin.com/2017/11/write-michigan-short-story-contest-part_30.html
Here are three of my most popular posts.
"The Making of a Great First Line in Fiction"
http://www.jeffreyalexandermartin.com/2017/12/the-making-of-great-first-line-in.html
"A Letter to My Niece in 2034"
http://www.jeffreyalexandermartin.com/2017/12/a-letter-to-my-niece-in-2034.html
"The Most Important Question in Philosophy - Part 4 of 4"
http://www.jeffreyalexandermartin.com/2017/11/the-most-important-question-in.html
You can find more of what I'm doing here: http://www.JeffreyAlexanderMartin.com
You can support this page at https://www.patreon.com/JeffreyAlexanderMartin
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