Zombie Luv Flash Contest - Island Nights - #FridayFlash

My #fridayflash this week is also part of Zombie-Mari's Zombie Luv Contest. Join in the fun! It runs until July 10th. Guidelines are below.


Palm fronds swayed in the fresh Caribbean breeze as Mari wiggled her toes in the sand. Her husband of two days stretched out beside her, his body golden in the dwindling sunlight.

"Steve, wake up." She gave him a kiss on the cheek and he stirred, a smile gracing his lips.

"Hmm? I was re-living last night. You woke me at a crucial point."

She batted him playfully. "I'll give you something else to dream about later but right now I'm hungry."

He yawned and sat up. "Why don't we walk into town and visit one of the pubs? We can get dinner there."

Mari tossed on her cover-up and they walked over to the cabana to return their towels. The attendant smiled as they handed them over, his wizened face studying them.

"Going back to the hotel?" He asked in the charming lilt of an islander.

"No, we thought we'd go into town for awhile," Steve said.

The old man's face sobered. "Be careful where you go. The sun's going down."

Mari shuddered as the man's eyes bore into hers.

"We will."

Steve replied with a nonchalance that Mari suddenly didn't feel. Don't be silly, she scolded herself. You've been listening to the zombie stories about the island and now you believe in them.

The zombie lore was everywhere here. In fact, it was part of the allure of this particular location. Rumor had it that this island held a large number of zombies—not that they'd seen any, of course—but still, the fantasy lent an air of adventure to the place.

They talked while strolling down the street, wandering with no particular destination in mind. Mari heard a scraping sound behind her and spun around, her heart beating fast.

Nothing was there but she noticed that the lights of town lay far behind them while the street in front seemed dark and strangely empty.

"Maybe we should turn around. I think we went the wrong way."

Steve gave her hand a little squeeze. "Why? I'd rather experience the nightlife with the locals rather than the tourists, wouldn't you? There's a pub on the next block."

Mari saw the red neon sign then, the garish welcome flashing in an otherwise deserted area. She took a deep breath and smiled, determined to relax and enjoy the evening.

"Hey, look," Steve said with a laugh as they reached the doorway. "It's called The Zombie Club."

"I hope they don't serve brains for dinner," Mari muttered under her breath as they entered.

The room was cool and dark, with calypso music playing and dancers over to one side. The host seated them by the bar and a waiter immediately brought them drinks.

"What are these?" Mari asked. Her hand trembled slightly as she pointed at her glass.

"Zombies, of course." The waiter laughed, a rich booming sound while Steve chuckled along with him.

Mari took a cautious sip. The cold drink slid down her throat, encouraging another taste. As she sat back to relax, she studied the dancers.

Their movements seemed odd and a bit jerky, but maybe it was only the strobe lights that played across the floor. She took another sip of her drink and looked over at Steve.

He smiled at her, pulling a bit of skin off his lip. He reached over and brushed a fleck of eyebrow away that had fallen onto her shoulder.

The waiter brought a steaming plate of brains over to the table and set it in front of them.

"Welcome to the club. Careful with the plate—it's very hot."

Mari scooped a handful of brains into her mouth, chewing with delight. She took Steve's hand in hers and brought it to her lips with a jerk.

"I guess the part about "till death do us part" wasn't quite accurate, was it?"

Steve shook his head in slow motion. "This is even better. You want to take a spin on the dance floor?"

©2010 Laura Eno

Guidelines:

•Word count: maximum 1.000

•The story must be a romance between two zombies. Make it as horrific as you like. ;)

•Stories containing animal cruelty, torture, graphic sex or violence, any form of exaltation of violence, racism or other forms of prejudice will be immediately disqualified.

•Post your entry on your own blog, with a title resembling this:
Zombie Luv Flash Fic Contest: Story Title

•Leave your story title and a link to the story entry post as a comment at mari's randomities:

•Copy and paste the contest logo and the guidelines at the end of your entry post.

Midnight Train - #FridayFlash

Stella woke to the sound of a train blowing its whistle. The lonely sound bled away as metal ground against steel to slow for a turn in the tracks, leaving her disoriented. There weren’t any trains that ran near her house.

Wondering if it was just a vivid dream, she looked at the clock. Midnight. Flopping back down on her pillow, Stella fell back asleep within moments.

“Did you hear a train whistle last night?” Stella looked at the morning newspaper sitting across from her. It waggled a bit, presumably in answer to her question. She just didn’t know if it was a yes or a no.

“Well, did you?”

Martin folded the paper in half, looking at her for the first time that morning.

“Train? What are you talking about?”

“Why do I have to repeat everything? I said did you hear a train last night?”

“There aren’t any trains around here.” He went back to hiding behind the paper. “Is there any more coffee?”

Stella got up and poured him more coffee, splashing it into the saucer for good measure. He didn’t take notice.

That night the train woke her up again. Stella got out of bed and walked over to the window. A low ridge nestled against their backyard. She’d climbed it many times and knew there weren’t any tracks up there, yet a dim light moved through the fog as brakes hit metal to slow for the curve.

“Martin, wake up. I can see the light from the train up on the ridge.”

“Go back to sleep. You’re dreaming.” She turned to see her husband cover his head with a pillow, unwilling even to check on her.

She stood there for a while, listening to the ka-clunk sound as the train continued on its journey. After a time, it seemed to blend with the beat of her heart – ka-clunk, ka-clunk. At last she climbed back into bed, wondering what it meant. An owl hooted into the silence that followed; an exclamation point to the emptiness of her life.

At 11 the next night, Stella slid out of bed and dressed, grabbing a flashlight as she left the house. It would take about a half an hour to reach the top of the ridge.

Just before midnight she saw the light of the train coming towards her. There weren’t any tracks, but she heard the ka-clunk sound anyway. The whistle blew as the train slowed to a stop. The conductor stepped out of the first car and tipped his hat to her.

“Will you be boarding?”

Stella turned and stared down the hill at her house before answering. She thought she saw movement at the bedroom window. Turning back to the conductor, she made her decision and placed her hand in his.

“Where are we going?”

He shrugged one shoulder and gave her a smile. “I don’t rightly know, ma’am. I guess we’ll find out together, won’t we?”

Stella smiled back. That was good enough for her.

©2010 Laura Eno

The Choosing - #FridayFlash

Gray mist loomed ahead as the ferry came to a stop, waiting for his command. Turn left or turn right? Indeed, another choice to be made after a lifetime of choosing. None had prepared him for this, his final choice.

Or was it? Did life go on in a different form after that last breath – perhaps many times over that one no longer recalled?

The ferry floated in silence; the mist began to obscure his surroundings. Time pressed in, as if the moment to decide was fast ticking by on a celestial clock. Would the decision no longer be his if he waited? Would the mist itself be his final choice if he did nothing?

He gazed to the west. Pale blue sky reigned over a grassy knoll, peaceful and serene. Friends and family waited for him there, smiles beckoned in static tranquility.

The east portrayed something different altogether. Ever changing, much as his life had been. An orange sky shimmered behind a gateway of stone. Water rushed beneath the gate, disappearing over a cliff to a fathomless destination. The wind whispered of adventure, danger and loss. A siren's call to be sure.

The grassy knoll remained unchanged as he stole another glance. The people he loved waited there with patient smiles to welcome him home, promises of peace upon their lips, a chance to rest his weary soul within their arms.

He raised his hand in silent farewell and turned east, slipping into the unknown.

©2010 Laura Eno

Audio Fiction at Cast Macabre

If you haven't heard of Cast Macabre yet, hightail yourself over there. Barry Northern, who has a wonderfully fluid voice and fine British accent, produces audio fiction for horror stories. He has produced my short story, Dangerous Premonitions, as part of his Stab of Fear series. While you're there, join the site, sign-up for the newsletter and befriend the FaceBook page. You can follow @CastMacabre on Twitter as well.

Writer's Envy

Many of you can work on several projects at a time – I know this because I see your works in progress on your blogs. I can't. I also can't read several books at a time, switching back and forth as the mood strikes me. It's total immersion for me, whether writing a story or reading a novel.

I know I've been absent of late on twitter and blog-hopping. I just want you to know that I love you all – my blog friends and my twitter friends. If not for you, I wouldn't even be writing. Your support means everything.

One of my biggest insecurities concerns is that you'll all forget who I am while I'm sequestered in my cave. Please don't. I couldn't stand that. You are each unique treasures in my heart. I'll still be around, just not as often.

I. Must. Write.

Death By Chocolate - #FridayFlash

It's the one year anniversary of #fridayflash and Jon Strother at Mad Utopia has a list of everyone's debut story, along with the date that it posted. This makes for a fun walk down memory lane and I urge you to check out the list. You can find it here. While you're there make sure to give Jon a big thank you for starting this fantastic group!

************************

Lights glowed through shop windows around the Grand Place as people strolled in the warm Brussels night air.

"I've heard that Godiva chocolate is to die for." Chloe glanced sideways at her companion, a smile on her face. "Would you buy me some?"

"Of course, my sweet." Lucien chuckled at her enthusiasm and led her toward the famous shop. "If, as you say, it's worth dying for, then how could I possibly refuse?"

"Look! They have chocolate covered marshmallows." Chloe dragged Lucien over to the counter in the tiny store, her eyes shining with delight.

"Fancy meeting you here, my friend." The voice at Lucien's back fairly dripped with irony. He straightened, trying for nonchalance as he turned around to confront the speaker.

"Death, Chronos. What a pleasant surprise. What brings you to Belgium?"

"I have a craving for chocolate covered peanuts tonight," Death said, his jaw dropped in a laugh.

"Actually, Michael sent us." Chronos watched Lucien's face turn a dull red as the import of that statement sank in. "You can't have her. She has other plans for Chloe."

Lucien struggled with that information for a moment before relaxing.

"Well, I already have the girl. Why doesn't She come here Herself and take her? Why send messengers?"

Death wandered behind the counter and helped himself to the peanuts, tossing them into an eye socket as he savored their gooey richness.

"Come on, Evil. Let's not stand here arguing forever." Chronos froze time to make his point. "You know time won't work in your favor on this one, Lucien."


"All right," he muttered. "But you take her home."


"Agreed. But be a gentleman and pay for her chocolate first."


Chronos hid a smirk as Lucien snarled and slapped some Euros on the counter. He sank through the floor in a fiery huff.


"Are we ready to leave?" Death popped the last of the peanuts in the air.


"Uh, not quite. You have chocolate…" Chronos motioned circles around his eyes with his fingers and handed Death a napkin.


"Thanks, dude. Guess they melted faster than I thought. How do you want to handle her?" Death pointed at Chloe, frozen mid-bite in a chocolate marshmallow ecstasy.


Chronos shrugged and tipped his hourglass. Chloe disappeared.


"She'll think she was sleepwalking and raided the refrigerator. Hand me a piece of that orange chocolate, will you?"


©2010 Laura Eno

Happy Birthday #FridayFlash

It's the one year anniversary of #fridayflash and Jon Strother at Mad Utopia has a list of everyone's debut story, along with the date that it posted. This makes for a fun walk down memory lane and I urge you to check out the list. You can find it here.

My story, They Feed, no longer has the original link. I posted it on 6/19/09 on a different blog, before I switched over to this one. Below is the story if you care to read it.


They Feed

The light shone on the path, a thin ribbon highlighting the destruction. The survivors hurried out of sight, not wanting to be revealed. They moved swiftly through the darkness, back to their base.

The beacon swept over the remains, showing the carnage left behind. Their troops lay scattered throughout the area, killed by the purge.

They’d been through worse though, always managing to return stronger than before. This was only a setback. As long as just one of them thrived, their fight to exist would continue.

They lived to conquer new territory. Taking…always taking. Defeat was unknown to them. They struck fear in the minds of those whose domiciles they entered. Nothing could prevent them from inheriting the earth…nothing at all. They were invincible.

Loretta put the flashlight away in disgust. The empty aerosol can landed in the trash with a clang. “Ralph, put more bug spray on the list. The damn cockroaches are back again.”

©2009 Laura Eno

Martians Don't Eat Corn - #FridayFlash

They found Bart Haskins this morning at the bottom of an old well. Called it an accidental death, but I know better. Third death this week too. They weren’t no accidents. It was the Martians that done it.

Those three men wouldn’t believe me when I said that the Martians don’t eat corn and they better plant something else. No sir, they just went right ahead and planted like they always did, but look at their crops now – withering away even as the stalks are sprouting out of the ground. ‘Course the sheriff said their crops were poisoned, but it was really the Martians and their death ray. I tell ya, you don’t want to get on those Martians’ bad side. They’re some mean, nasty critters, if you ask me.

It all started back in the fall, when I was plowing. I had me some nice straight rows in the dirt when one of their flying saucers landed right smack in the middle of my field. I was some perturbed, I’ll tell ya. A mite scared too, if truth be told. I musta blacked out, but when I woke up there were these crazy circles in my field.

My head felt none too good so I went back home to lie down. That’s when I had the dream. You see, those Martians had taken me to their flying saucer and instructed me to tell the townsfolk that Martians don’t eat corn and we should plant something else. The dream brought it all back to me.

Well, I tried to warn the others, but they told me I was crazy or drunk. Just because I have a still don’t mean I’m always drunk. I’m gonna miss the corn on account of that, but you can’t argue with a Martian.

So anyway, I figured it’s their loss if they don’t want to make the Martians happy. But now that spring’s here, people are dying and I’m right scared. The law don’t believe me, either. They locked me up this morning, said they was gonna try me for murder and destroying crops with kerosene.

They’ll see though, when all the crops are dead. Then they’ll have to listen. I know the Martians will get me out of here soon. You see, I planted me some green beans. The Martians told me they really like those.

©2010 Laura Eno

Plethora of Awards

My cup truly runneth over, not only with awards but with fabulous friends! I appreciate each and every one of you who stop by and comment on my little blog, so for that reason I'm not naming recipients because you all are. Take home your choice of the following awards. You've all earned it.



I'd like to thank both Mariana Blaser at mariblaser's randomities and Sheila Deeth at Sheila Deeth for the Creative Writer Award.



Next, thanks to the lovely Anne Tyler Lord of Don't Fence Me In for the Super Peeps Club Award.



And both Valerie of As The Moon Climbs and George at Tumblemoose have graced me with the Beautiful Blogger Award.

I'm a rebel so I'm not adhering to the rules. Send your vampires after me if you wish... I love you all.

Friends - #FridayFlash

An eerie buzz woke Chronos out of a light doze. The sitcom on TV had been a re-run and he'd fallen asleep in the middle of it.

"Dude, your hourglass just turned blue," Death said between peanut tosses.

"What?" That snapped him awake. The noise grew louder as the sand turned a deeper color. An emergency at the infirmary. He brushed stray peanuts off his lap and stood.

"I'll come with you," Death said and shut the TV off. "I already know who dies in this episode."

A harried nurse at the Immortal Hospital ushered them into the surgical bay. Eros stood inside, his face redder than Lucien's horns and contorted in pain.

"This is all your fault, you blooming clock!"

Chronos took a step back. The cherub's normal countenance looked more like an evil gnome at the moment.

"What happened?"

"If you paid attention you'd already bloody well know."

Eros turned purple as he gasped for breath after his outburst. The doctor plunged a needle into the little guy's arm and he stopped hyperventilating. A moment later a smile took over his face but the angry words still spewed.

"I shot an arrow at two of my clients and turned to leave when your infernal timekeeping sputtered again. The arrow backtracked and hit me instead, you stupid timepiece."

Death's jaw dropped in a laugh, which he smothered with his metacarpus.

"You won't find it funny, you bag of rotten bones, when deaths are reversed."

The doctor intervened before a fight broke out.

"I need to perform the surgery now, gentlemen. If you'd climb up on the table, Eros, we'll have you fixed in no time."

Eros turned his back on Death and Chronos in a huff, his hospital gown pitching open as if caught in a gust of wind. They walked out the door, dissolving into fits of laughter when they reached the hallway. Chronos wiped tears from his eyes as he struggled to speak.

"I never knew that one of his arrows could embed itself so deeply."

"Me either. It's a good thing he has such chubby cheeks." Death howled until a stern-looking nurse bore down on them.

"We'd better go see what he's blathering about." Chronos shifted them to the mortal plane.

They landed on a busy sidewalk, gaping at the people walking backwards, unraveling their earlier movements.

"That's disgusting." Death watched a man depositing bites of donut out of his mouth, the soggy crumbs re-solidifying into his hand.

"My hourglass isn't registering this." Chronos tapped the sand, its flow normal even when he shook it.

"I think I see why. Look over there." Death pointed to a still figure standing across the street.

"Lucien." Chronos marched through the traffic, Death just a step behind him. Concentrating on the pedestrians, Evil didn't notice them until Chronos tapped him on the shoulder.

"Oh, good morning. Fascinating, isn't it?"

"Not really. Do you mind telling me what you're doing?"

"Sorry. I was going to fix it as soon as I find who I'm looking for."

"Lucien, you can't screw up time this way. That's my job."

"I know and I really am sorry. Just another minute, please? I'm looking for an escapee. Then I'll reverse it, I swear."

Death gazed at Lucien with interest. "How could someone escape?"

Fire sparked from Lucien's eyes. "With help from Branthos."

"Your demon bartender?" Death shook his skull. "Pity. He mixed perfect drinks."

"Thirty seconds, Lucien." Chronos tapped the hourglass.

"There they are." Time slowed to a stop as Branthos and a pretty woman rounded the corner, their hurried strides frozen in place. Lucien grabbed both by the collar, a satisfied grin poking around the cigar he chomped on. A flaming hole opened in the sidewalk just as time resumed its normal course. Passersby screamed in panic as they tried to avoid the pit. Lucien dusted his hands off as he walked back over.

"Couldn't you have waited to reset time until after you'd closed the pit?" Chronos grumbled. He watched the small knot of hysteria move down the street, running into the path of traffic. Horns blared and tires screeched.

Lucien shrugged. "You're so persnickety. Besides, Death looked bored. I just gave him something to do."

Evil smiled as they both turned to watch Death jump into the melee. He put his arm around Chronos.

"That's what friends are for, right?"

©2010 Laura Eno