Steven Paul Watson, Author

Blog Flash Day #4 – Busy

Miranda leapt around the table, Blue in one hand, she reached with the other only to have the katana fall from grasp.  The sound of it hitting the floor was deafening.  To her knees she released the wailing puppy and franticly fought to raise her weapon in defense. 

“Who’s there?”

To her feet she held the sword in front of her but still she could not see for the thick air in the room.

“You let your guard down.”

She turned to the direction the gruff voice originated as she felt the sharp edge of the blade at her throat.  

(100 Words)

Swing by  Blog Flash 2012 and check out all the wonderful bloggers who are participating in the event and show their entries some love.  

——-

Blog Flash Day #3:  Color

Lost in Blue’s big brown eyes;  he whined until she finally lifted him from the dark floors, and stood holding him against her black t-shirt as he tried for a kiss.  His spots looked blue in the bright sunlight of the room.

“Want a treat?”

Blue yelped, not yet able to bark.  Setting her weapon on the counter she pulled the drawer of multi-colored soft treats open. 

“Sorry things have been strange, Blue.”

Glass shattered, bright colors filled the room, and she heard the intruder’s soft steps but still could not see him for the blindness.

(96 Words)

…….

We will see how long I can keep this up, I’m going to try and have all 30 entries one story…

The absence of thought, only reflex, she spun to her feet with the katana lifted high and ready to strike at her opponent’s.  She took a deep breath removing the blindfold and dropping to one knee twirling the long blade behind her back in the process. With a big grin her brown eyes met another’s.  “Dangerous game you are playing Blue.”

The small puppy released a small anxious growl; its head twisted to one side and began to wag its tail.  Tiny legs began to fidget in excitement at Miranda’s out reached hand before it lunged forward to her knees.

(100 words)

Thinking –

                                   

She had not moved from her meditative state for hours, her legs crossed and her hands rested on her knees.  The sun beat through the unobstructed windows, but she could not see for the dark blindfold over her eyes.  Lost in her thoughts, the katana sat just in front of her free of its sheath waiting.  The scent of fresh roses from the garden outside filled the room as she took another deep breath, listening to the shadows.  Miranda had lost much in her life, having never known her father but still his enemies were coming for her.

(99 words)

(482 words)

Swing by Emmie Mears “End of the World” flash fiction page to see all the great entries.

“I’m not going to apologize…”  It was the only time the southern came out in that one word, and she didn’t say it often.  She so rarely had a reason to apologize.  And this was one of those times she had nothing to be sorry for, it was all on him. 

“Come on talk to me…”  Her blue eyes pierced through him and all he could do was smile.  “It’s a simple question; what are you thinking?  I just want to know what is going on behind those eyes.”  Frustration was building in her voice; her smile was less evident and more serious now. 

Again he smiled even looked away from her for a moment before he brought his own eyes back to meet hers.  It was anything but a simple question, and she knew that.  He had let her in, past all the walls he thought he had built up to keep people out only to find others constructed. To keep people from knowing the person he truly was, because to let people in was to give people a way to hurt him. 

“You’re right,” he said, with his smirk of a smile as she looked away, instantly his hand found her chin raising her gaze back to his own.  “There is always something going on up here, I am never thinking about just one thing, at times it borders on a dozen or more things running circles around my head.”  He stepped in closer to her and smiled.  “I have never met anyone like you.  I never planned to feel this way, to let you in.  I even tried to find a way out, to not feel this way.  I am never going to say truer words to you.  I love you.  When we are apart, you are always there on my mind.  But when I am with you, looking at you, talking with you, you are the only thing on my mind.”

Five Sentence Fiction – Scarlet

                    

Her jeep sat in the same place it had when he left for work that morning;  he knew something was up as normally her days off are spent on the beach, the local café absorbed in her laptop writing, or at the bookstore seeking the latest mystery novel.  He walked through the door and straight into the kitchen where his eyes drifted to the stack of congratulatory cards; they were still arriving though the wedding was four months past.  When he made his way to the second floor he immediately saw the paint cans cluttering the end of the hallway outside their office; the room where they spent many hours, where one wall was covered in book shelves, another with trinkets and mementos of their past and dual desks centering the room.  Entering he was greeted by newly red walls, a woman with as much paint on her clothing as the walls, and his favorite thing in the world, her smile, “You like?”  He instantly noticed her eyes, the deepest of blue as they drifted off from him telling him all he needed to know, she hated it, he quickly replied the best way he knew how pulling her tightly into his arms and a simple kiss on the forehead.

For more Five Sentence Fiction swing by Lillie McFerrin’sblog!  (She is also a rockstar editor)

Visual Dare:  Gutted

“Patrick!”

A hood covered his head; cuffs bound his wrists and panic set in.  “Patrick!” Nathan yelled, trying to sound more confident.  He remembered the truck, nothing else.  The air smelled and it clung to his lungs with each breath.  Pushing his back up the wall, a step forward and the floor beneath him creaked. 

    

“Pat!”  

Unable to hide his fear, two quick steps forward and he tumbled to the floor shaking the hood free.  He saw his friend’s cold stare and immediately realized why Patrick had never answered.  An old woman’s cackle echoed throughout the decaying home…

(97 Words)

Check out all the other entries for this week’s Visual Dare!

A ballet of thunder and lighting lit up the night sky; the winds had picked up blowing a cold breeze across the lake. Sitting on the top of the picnic table with her feet resting on the seat, Naomi watched the glow from the tip of her latest last cigarette with a forced smile. She traced the cross tattoo on her wrist with the tip of chewed fingernail on her free hand. She could almost hear them now, the laughing, the mocking I told you so. All she really wanted was for someone to say those simple words: it’s going to be alright. 

A couple days she did not have to waste and another bill she could not afford to pay. Thousand miles from anyone she could ask for help even though she was sure if they were just a five minute walk away it would have been useless to even ask.

Naomi smiled as she dropped her head, locks of brown hair fluttered across her forehead as she watched a long line of ashes fall to the ground. “I like the tattoo.” She turned to see the young man and his eyes glued to the dragon head peeking out of her collar, she blushed knowing the young man would really be impressed with how large it stretched down from her neck, the whole of her back and around her side to her stomach. 

“Tell Roy to get the parts.” She gave the young man another glance, but only a moment before she again looked out over the lake and the clouds racing across the night sky. She forced a half smile as the young man gave her a sly smile and quickly retreated from her side. She could feel the tears begin to swell behind her eyes with a loud crack of thunder off in the distance.

With her free hand she pulled the necklace from her shirt and the small golden pendent; the last thing she had of her mothers. She knew it was worth more than enough to pay to have her car fixed and get her a long way from here. Further from the place she was running from. She held a tight grip on it in the palm of her hand, and whispered a silent prayer. No matter how bad things got, she knew her mother was there looking over her shoulder with or without the necklace. Naomi could hear her mother in her soft voice telling her exactly what she needed to hear, that everything was going to be alright.

Five Sentence Fiction – Composure

He had broken from a momentary hesitation when he pushed the button on the elevator, he felt his throat seize and was unsure if he would even be able to speak when the moment came.   Voices in his head screaming out at him with not a single one of the dozen in agreement with any other and all fed to the growing conflict in his stomach.  With each passing floor the beep of the elevator echoed in his head, the static growing louder and more confused.  The doors opened, his nervousness shown on his red face as he stepped out in time to avoid the rush of others quick to retreat.  Slowly he walked down the hall coming to the desired door, lifted his hand ready to knock as he took a long deep breath and smiled…

For more Five Sentence Fiction check out Lillie McFerrin’s blog!  🙂 🙂