The branches, like fingers clutching at the sky, flashed white in the seconds it took for the explosion to rock their hiding place. The early dawn would blow their cover soon enough. Whistler motioned his men to the right, while he crawled to the ridge for a closer look.
The machinery spread below was twisted and alien, its claws drilling into the earth that had once sheltered the herds. It would soon break into the colony that honeycombed beneath the surface. Whistler gave a nod to his team, and raced back to warn the queen.
This week’s photo prompt is from Madison Woods’ site for the #FridayFictioneers. Check out the other Flash Fiction, and comment or link your story!
Madison graciously provides us with a photo prompt each week, but there are many ways to get inspiration for 100 words. Here are 10 Ideas for Flash Fiction Writing Prompts from Flash Fiction Chronicles…
Shuffle It
Write a story based on the next song that you hear on your mp3 player. Use the lyrics, beat, and instruments to generate a story idea.
What Do You See?
Use a photo from your collection, or try a random Google image or Flickr search.
Take out your old scrapbooks and photo albums and get some inspiration from the past.
Ask “What If…”
Spend some time imagining “what if” possibilities, such as “What if I could travel in time? Where would I want to travel?” or “What if I could talk to any person who has died?
The Saying Goes …
Think of an old expression such as “The early bird gets the worm” or “Penny wise and pound foolish” and write a story about it.
Whittle it Down
Think of your favorite movie, book or short story. Now condense it to a piece of flash fiction.
Change Your Point of View
Pick up a random object in the room where you are sitting, or rummage around a junk drawer or toy chest and draw out a random object. Now write a story from the point of view of this object. What has it seen? What role did it play?
Imagine the Possibilities
Imagine a wrapped box. You open it. What’s inside? Write a story about what you discover.
Random Words
Let your dictionary fall open randomly and point to a word on the page. Use it to inspire a story.
Let Computers Do it For You
If you’re still stumped for ideas, try a random story idea generator, such as this one. There are also character and name generators available, which could also offer inspiration.
Reminds me of a short story once, where people were living in underground colonies and they were ruled by the machines. Interesting interpretation of the prompt.
Here is my contribution:
http://366degree.wordpress.com/2012/03/23/back-to-nature/
Cheers!
An original take on the prompt. The link between ‘queen’ ‘colony’ and ‘honeycomb’ gave me pause for thought. And those branches do look very much like fingers clawing at the sky. Never thought of that. Nice thought provoking flash. Thanks.
http://castelsarrasin.wordpress.com/2012/03/23/to-bring-you-home-friday-fictioneers/
Loved the other-wordly elements, the alieness of the creatures.
Here’s mine: http://teschoenborn.com/2012/03/22/friday-fictioneer-3/
Interesting bit of science fiction. The ant terminology added a nice element too.
Susan (here’s mine: http://www.susanwenzel.com/)
Are they ants or bees? Nicely done story. I could see it as a sci-fi for sure.
Here’s mine:
http://siobhanmuir.blogspot.com/2012/03/new-world-100words-well-200-for.html
Siobhan
This could be a scientific approach in a children’s book about bees OR an alien invasion of epic size–loved it. Nicely done.
Mine: http://www.vlgregory-circa1800.vpweb.com/blog.html
At first I was picturing some cavern-dwelling people, but the final line made me wonder if it’s actually meant to be from an ant’s perspective? Either way, it’s nicely done.
Here’s my effort this week:
http://garybaileywriting.wordpress.com/2012/03/23/fridayfictioneers-crimson-sunset/
I agree with a comment above, ant and bees come into mind.
Here’s mind: http://postcardfiction.com/2012/03/23/trapped/
Oh that was unique, too – so many of them have been so different than the usual this week! I liked that and wonder what the rest of the story is about! Another gem to file away for later mining Karen.
A nice take on the prompt, creative and original. Your Ideas are really helpful suggestions…I have tried some and would definitely try those i haven’t thought of. Thanks anyway!
https://seewilliams.wordpress.com/2012/03/23/scorched/
Fingers…clutching to the sky….wonderful image. Some readers see an ant colony…I see a bee colony. Unusual take on the prompt. Here’s mine:
http://www.triplemoonstar.blogspot.com
Hi Karen,
You’ve created all the elements of an exciting story in only 100 words. It’s very visual and visceral at the same time. Great writing!
Here’s mine if you haven’t read it. If you have, thanks!
http://bridgesareforburning.wordpress.com/
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