January 4, 2020
hughjodonnell
Everyday Drabbles, Free Fiction, Uncategorized
Drabble, Everyday Drabbles, Fiction, Flash Fiction
The rope hung before him, suspended in the air in defiance of logic and gravity. It stretched as far up as he could see, into the blue haze.
He gave it a few experimental tugs, gently at first, then harder. It held.
Overcome by curiosity, he climbed up the rope. He climbed for hours, until, exhausted, he reached the end of his rope and found himself back where he’d started.
He eased himself off the rope and onto solid ground. He was home. Or was he? He took a few minutes to rest, then set out to explore once again.
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January 2, 2020
hughjodonnell
Everyday Drabbles, Free Fiction, Uncategorized
Drabble, Flash Fiction, Free Fiction
“You’re leaving tomorrow,” he whispered in her ear, as they waltzed across the cavernous dance floor. His breath was warm, and sweet. She craned her neck away.
“I have to go back to work,” she said, not unkindly. It was an old argument.
“But, for six months. I miss you.”
“You could come with me,” she offered, not for the first time.
“I have my job, too. Can you imagine if I abandoned it?”
“Then we have tonight,” she said.
“We always have tonight,” he agreed.
And Hades and Persephone waltzed through their palace once again for one last time.
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December 31, 2019
hughjodonnell
Everyday Drabbles, Free Fiction, Uncategorized
Drabble, Everyday Drabble, Flash Fiction, Sci-Fi
When she began studying engineering, the mean girls started joking that she was going to build herself a boyfriend. At first, she ignored them, but the more she learned, and the more she worked, the less implausible the idea seemed.
She built the prototype, and installed a contained artificial intelligence she got inline. It was important that he be able to make his own decisions, to be able to surprise her.
The whole school was shocked when she showed up to prom on the arm of the perfect hunk. It was awesome.
Until he dumped her for that skank, Becky.
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December 30, 2019
hughjodonnell
Everyday Drabbles, Free Fiction, Uncategorized
Drabble, Everyday Drabbles, Flash Fiction
When the first snows fell on the high mountains, the villagers living in the valley prepared for the Snowball Festival. They built ramps and barriers along the lower slopes of the mountain, and moved vulnerable people to second and third-story shelters.
Then they held their collective breath and waited.
In the towns at the top of the high mountains, when the first snows fell, the people frolicked in the wintry weather. They threw snowballs and built snowmen and never spared a thought for the snowballs that rolled down the mountain, growing and growing until they hit the village below.
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December 29, 2019
hughjodonnell
Everyday Drabbles, Free Fiction, Uncategorized
Drabble, Everyday Drabbles, Fiction
The soldiers camped in her barn that winter. She sat in the dark house, not lighting a fire, hoping they would forget she was there.
That spring, she made scarecrows. She bent wire frames into human shapes, and wrapped them with dried rosebush branches. She took what she had to hand, old boots, discarded jackets and pants, and dressed them, topping them with discarded helmets.
When they were done, she propped them up in her fields.
She left a pair outside her barn as well, carefully turned so you couldn’t see the bullet holes in their uniforms from the road.
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December 26, 2019
hughjodonnell
Everyday Drabbles, Free Fiction, Uncategorized
Drabble, Everyday Drabbles, Flash Fiction, Free Ficiton, Star Wars
The jury forebeing read out the verdict. “We find the defendant guilty on all counts.” The courtroom was filled with gasps of shock.
The presiding judge of Coruscant Youngling Court banged his gavel for silence.
“I have no choice but to sentence this defendant to ten years hard labor in the Spice Mines of Kessel.”
“Objection I have,” The Defense attorney said. “Merely shoplifting the crime is. A promising future this young one has. Overly harsh this penalty is.”
The judge sneered down at the defense team. “Galactic Republic law increases the penalty for crimes involving the Use of Force.”
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December 24, 2019
hughjodonnell
Everyday Drabbles, Free Fiction, Uncategorized
Drabble, Everyday Drabbles, Flash Fiction
“When the mist rises out of the pot and starts forming shapes, it’s ready for repotting,” the sorceress said. “Don’t listen to it’s whispered promises of power and glory. These are lies. Just slide your finger up like so, and swipe quickly with your ritual dagger. Be sure to have a second pot ready to go.” She smiled into the camera and held up two pots of roiling smoke.
The camera’s red light faded, and they relaxed. She swigged her tea, and her familiar lit a cigarette. They had to get out of this magical contract. TV was killing them.
Author’s Note: It turns out that Wattpad has a strict 200-chapter limit on stories. So from this point on, Everyday Drabbles will be hosted here on my blog. You can still find the first 199 chapters and the introduction HERE.
Thanks for listening, and please spread the word!
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December 22, 2019
hughjodonnell
Free Fiction, Uncategorized
Drabble, Everyday Drabbles, Ficiton, Flash Fiction
There must’ve been some magic in that old top hat we found. Dark magic. It brought a snowman to life, briefly. We pulled trinkets from it out of nowhere. It did small favors for us. Kids stuff.
As we grew up, the Hat still gave us what we wanted. But it took a higher and higher toll.
I tried to get away. I disappeared into the woods, got off the grid, and put up wards. But I can’t escape forever.
It’s Christmas Day, and I hear pounding outside the cabin door.
Thumpity thump-thump! Thumpity thump-thump!
It’s getting closer.
This story originally appeared in Everyday Drabbles, a daily free fiction project on Wattpad. Visit the link for over a hundred free stories. And if you enjoy my writing, support my work by buying me a coffee!
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December 15, 2019
hughjodonnell
Free Fiction, Uncategorized
Drabble, Everyday Drabbles, Flash Fiction
The Faerie Queen lounged on her throne and looked at the three subjects before her.
“I tasked you with changing the hearts of humanity so that they will forever celebrate Winter Solstice and sing anew the world, a gargantuan task, and you tell me you have accomplished it in a single night?
“Yes Your Grace.”
She narrowed her eyes at the figures. “How?”
“Oh, you know,” one said, adjusting the cuff on an oversized black cloak. “We just showed a moneylender visions of his miserable life and horrible death, and he basically did the work for us.”
“Well, alright then.”
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December 8, 2019
hughjodonnell
Free Fiction, Uncategorized
Drabble, Everyday Drabbles, Fantasy, Fiction
When Clematis started hanging out with the dragons, the other fairies were shocked. They were a insular and xenophobic people, terrified of anyone bigger than they were, which was just about everything. They lived deep in the forest, enchanting their gardens and cursing the rare passerby.
Clematis was different. She wanted to fly through open skies, to see the high mountains and the vast oceans her friends spoke of. The fairy elders didn’t care for her dreams, and they cast her out.
Now Clematis flies where she will, accompanied by her chosen family. And her hoard is coming together nicely.
This story originally appeared in Everyday Drabbles, a daily free fiction project on Wattpad. Visit the link for over a hundred free stories. And if you enjoy my writing, support my work by buying me a coffee!
Support Me on Ko-fi
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Hugh J. O'Donnell 