Tag: scary

Jen’s Entry: FLASH FICTION CHALLENGE: Horror in three sentences

Okay, here’s my entry for Chuck Wendig’s weekly Flash Fiction challenge: write a scary story in three sentences. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be. I kept coming up with ideas that needed four or five sentences. Cutting it down to three was irksome and, as planned, challenging. I ended up writing ten different options and giving them to my two harshest and most reliable critics (my mom and sister). Without talking to each other, they both chose number four as their favorite. So, that’s the one I posted:

5260514016_ae337cd403_o“Two Silhouettes”

“Need help with your groceries, ma’am?”
I shook my head, coolly ignoring the new bag boy’s greasy black hair and even greasier grin.
In the empty parking lot, I shoved the keys into my Chevy’s door, all too late realizing there were two silhouettes reflected in my car’s window.

My mom and sister had second favorites, as well. My mom liked number 3:

“Don’t look back, don’t look back!”
“Trust me, darlin’, you don’t wanna look back.”
Against my better judgment I looked back and saw my death reflected in his raised axe.

And my sister liked number 1:

Ignoring the dubious expression on the realtor’s face, I accepted the ancient keys to the decrepit house on Sutton Hill.
I stood in the dark, staring fearfully at my bedroom door and the mad scratching and crazed giggling on the other side of it.
The heaving walls blew their rotten breath on me as I barreled down the creaking stairs to the front door, knowing I’d never reach it before the stalking shadows reached me.

Honestly, I’m not sure if I’m a fan of any of them, but I got what I wanted out of the challenge: EXPERIENCE! So how about you? Did you enter? You still have two days to do so before the Friday deadline. I encourage you to give it a try. And if you want to post your story in the comment section here for others to read as well, be my guest.

To read more about this challenge, click here.

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