Flash Fiction Contest

Entered a fun writing contest yesterday. Flash fiction - write a whole story in a hundred words or less. As an extra challenge, there were five words writers had to use: dixie, mom, eleven, lies, home.

It was fun to write, definitely forced me to weigh every word. I found it harder than it sounded. I want to write these more often, just for fun and practice. I'll post them here when I do, with the flash symbol.

Here's my entry:

Dixie found Sammy, a salamander. Grandmom had Alzheimer’s, bad eyes; she ground Sammy in the disposal.

I said, “All drains lead to the ocean.”

Kids still howled.

“Can’t sell salamanders.”

Brought two geckos home, seventy bucks, plus two-fifty for habitat and eleven live crickets. Jonathan died; flushed him. Vet bill for Gecky: one-fifty including medication. His tail still shrank.

Damn thing should die, costing a fortune.

Weeks later, Gecky shivered. I stroked him with water. Desperate to relieve suffering, I wanted to suffocate him. Just couldn’t. I stroked him with tears. He lies in my garden, shrouded in Dixie’s blankie.

You can see all of the entries at http://jetreidliterary.blogspot.com/ under "Dixie Durpee writing contest."

First prize is a copy of the new book, The Education of Dixie Dupree by Donna Everhart.

No word yet on the winners. Some of the stories were stunningly good!

UPDATE: See the site (link above) for the winners. Not me. Next time!