Hugh J. O'Donnell

The traveling preacher won the hearts and minds of the locals with his fire and brimstone rhetoric. He made a place for himself by making friends and giving them cushy jobs in his church organization.
Soon hehad a gang of loyal enforcers, but he needed something more to fully take over.
He explained one chilly autumn Sunday that witches were to blame for their faded rustbelt town’s troubles. Once he whipped up the crowd and they chose a victim, they’d be his forever.
But the Crones had protected the town for generations, and his cronyism was no match for them.

“DSC07252 – Our Lady Of Sorrows Chapel” by archer10 (Dennis) is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

My first very short story collection, The Mountain’s Shadow is available now from Amazon and Smashwords!

Everyday Drabbles © 2024 by Hugh J. O’Donnell is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 

Have a fabulous day!

After I started having strange, sudden pains, I went to the ER and they took an x-ray. After demanding to know if I had ingested or ‘inserted’ anything, the doctor handed me the tablet.
A human hand was growing out of my torso, skeletal fingers distinct against my ribs.
“We’d like you to stay for observation,” he said. I agreed, silently fretting that this was too weird for insurance to cover.
Every day, the skeleton grew a little more, sprouting an arm, then a shoulder. Nothing the doctors tried worked, but eventually I left the hospital a whole new person.

“chest x-ray half” by Aidan Jones is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

My first very short story collection, The Mountain’s Shadow is available now from Amazon and Smashwords!

Everyday Drabbles © 2024 by Hugh J. O’Donnell is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 

Have a fabulous day!

He named the pub “The Ilk’s Lodge” because he liked the pun and because he envisioned it as a place open to all, where people could eat and drink together in comfort.
But the public didn’t get the joke, and didn’t understand if they were members or not. The opening was a disaster.
To drum up business, he sent out flyers advertising free drinks and appetizers “For You and Your Ilk.”
Rather than increasing traffic, he got a few nasty letters from people who thought they’d been insulted.
Finally, he gave in and changed the pub’s name, to greater success.

“Bar at the Reindeer pub Norwich” by Roger Blackwell is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

My first very short story collection, The Mountain’s Shadow is available now from Amazon and Smashwords!

Everyday Drabbles © 2024 by Hugh J. O’Donnell is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 

Have a fabulous day!

When the king offered the princess’s hand to anyone who could prove his worth she was furious. All of her training to make an advantageous political match had been wasted.
The crowd vying for the engagement quickly grew to the hundreds thanks word of her beauty, wit, and charm. She had to do something.
Disguising herself as a boy, she moved among the social climbers, ‘heroes,’ and gadabout noblemen, taking their stock. She devised some tests of her own to winnow them down.
The princess had plans of her own, and she’d need an accomplice as much as a husband.

“<div class=’fn’> Ingena Rotterdam (died 1704), Betrothed of Admiral Jacob Binkes</div>” by Nicolaes Maes is marked with CC0 1.0.

My first very short story collection, The Mountain’s Shadow is available now from Amazon and Smashwords!

Everyday Drabbles © 2024 by Hugh J. O’Donnell is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 

Have a fabulous day!