Child’s Play: ‘Fiction In A Flash Challenge’ Week #19 NEW Image Prompt. Join in the fun! #IARTG #ASMSG @pursoot #WritingCommunity
Hi everyone! It’s that time of the week again … Friday fun flash fiction! This week’s picture had my muse sprinting away. And because I’m immersed in Staci Troilo’s Astral Conspiracy Series right now, and loving it, then of course my mojo went the way it did. Without further ado, here’s my take on this prompt …
Image by David Mark from Pixabay
Child’s Play
The transmission tower was the first target but a long way from the only casualty.
The next thing to go, understandably, was the iconic HOLLYWOOD signage. The rough hillside and bush around it turned to smoking, black ash. Then the sky shadow moved over the city. In only a matter of seconds, Los Angeles was no more. How much of the US—the world—had these things taken out?
Brad coughed and crawled heedlessly through the debris and burnt foliage, desperate to reach the valley floor. He’d changed his mind about getting that selfie in front of the tall, famous nine letters. Something told him that a lot more things than just his mind would have changed by the time he made it back to civilisation—if any such thing existed anymore.
He fumbled his mobile from his pocket and powered it up. No signal. Not even an emergency call function. Again, he stared up at where the tower, bristling with satellite dishes, had been only minutes earlier. Who wanted to blow up America?
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Meanwhile, in a galaxy not that far away … the numbers shot up on the side of the holoscreen. Warg screeched in pleasure. He’d added at least a thousand to the tally. Wait until Gorg heard what he’d achieved. All of a sudden, a strong jaw gripped the back of the child’s neck and lifted him from his seat. His mother dropped him some feet away in the middle of the floor. She frowned at the ship’s computer screen and then at Warg. ‘I’ve told you before that’s not a game.’
Warg pouted. ‘But we’re going to kill them all anyway.’
His mother shook her head. ‘Yes, but now they know we’re coming.’
[] [] []
© Harmony Kent 2020
I’d love to know what you think of this short story … so please don’t be shy and leave me a reply.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Image by David Mark from Pixabay
The rules:
Please put your entry (or a link to it) in a comment HERE or email it to Sooz at her email address. by DEADLINE: 4pm EDT on Thursday, October 1st. Subject: Fiction in a Flash Challenge. If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to THIS page would be much appreciated.
UPDATE: The response to the prompts has been just wonderful. As a result, Soooz be sharing all entries received, and her own contribution on her blog AS SHE RECEIVES THEM. Rather than posting all of them only over a few days.
Find Sooz at …
Yes, I think Astral Conspiracy is on your mind, Harmony. Lol. Great story. I loved the double twist at the end. First that it was just an alien kid being naughty and destroying the Earth, and then that the destruction was part of the plan all along. Very clever. I enjoyed that.
Yay! So glad you enjoyed that double twist. Thanks, Diana 🙂
A great piece of writing, Harmony. I must say, I’ve read two of the responses to this prompt, yours and Jacquie, and I am surprised how this picture has aroused such thoughts of death and destruction. I expected the ‘American dream’ sort of pieces. It must be the effect of the fires and Covid-19.
Yes, I’ve noticed that too. Thanks, Robbie 😊
Definetly an Astral feel. Great job!
Tee he hee. Thanks, Joan 🙂
What a twist and a half, Harmony – you’ve used that great image to fantastic effect. Toni x
Yay. Thanks so much, Toni 🙂
A chilling side-trip to the dark side, Harmony! Great one!
Glad you enjoyed the story. Thanks, Jan 😊
The idea that child aliens see destroying our country as a video game cracked me up. It made me imagine that the worlds in my son’s games are real. Lol! Great story, Harmony.
Lols! That sure is a concerning thought! Thanks, Yvi 😁
I love the idea that kids are playing a deadly game, Harmony. Well done. 😁
It struck me as utterly freaky and real. Thanks, John 😁
Ha, ha! I love it!
That was freaking brilliant, Harmony!
Yay! So thrilled you enjoyed it so much. Thanks, Mae 😁
So delightfully twisted! I loved it!
Yay! Thanks, Staci 😊
Loved it, Harmony! Says Soooz now watching her grandson playing his Xbox with growing discomfort. Uh-oh. lol. I’ll feature this gem early tomorrow. 😁
Ha ha ha! Thanks so much, Soooz 🙂
The “twist in the tale” caught me, Harmony.
Yay! Thanks, Sarah 🙂