Worthing Flash

The winner of the 2025 100-word challenge is Bhattacharjee Sagata and you can find the winning story here  Thank you to everyone who took part in the contest this year. It was a privilege to read all the stories.

UNEXPECTED FESTIVAL Jersey’s little boy has gone missing. The town squares itself into quarters. Each will take a direction and search the barns and sheds, outhouses and stray buildings in its quarter. The sheriff is in charge overall, but each quarter must decide how to manage itself, to whom it listens for wisdom. Menfolk will search farther reaches, womenfolk the nearer. The lad selling maps offers to pick up beer at the grocery. Child searching can drive anyone dry. Someone asks how will we communicate. Someone else notes Jersey does not have a boy. We are too far along to argue details. Ken Poyner's latest book of speculative poetry just came out, "Science Is Not Enough".  Additionally, Steven Hewitt, the fellow behind the computer-music group "Out of Orion" decided to create some computer based music (possibly AI driven, I fear) around some of his poems.  If interested, check out YouTube (or Spotify or Apple Music)...

A seaside town decided to separate its annual sandcastle competition into adults only and children only categories, to prevent over-enthusiastic parents commandeering their kids’ efforts.  They were delighted with the record number of entries, until they discovered that most were from a visiting medieval re-enactment group. Judging descended into technical arguments over whether those crenelations were built with that type of tower, was that the wrong kind of portcullis etc.  A mêlée ensued, with fists and sand flying everywhere, until the police finally restored peace. Next year should be a more sedate event, with parents banned completely. So they hope! Josie Gilbert

 Food of Love by Kathy Silvey She could cook when he wasn’t there. She grated ginger without grating her knuckles like when he looked at her. Today the shrimp would nestle in a bath of soy sauce and honey speckled with ginger and garlic and crushed red pepper, happily marinating. They would be delicious, and when she added them to the pan she would not burn them like the pancakes she had made for him. She had made perfect pancakes since age twelve—until he looked at her. Love glowed in her blush of shame when praised for her food by everyone but him.

The president was bored that day. How about vetoing something, so as not to go off the form? – he mused. – Maybe those “morning-after” pills? But... Aren't they for hangovers? His adviser explained it to him, so he eventually vetoed them. When asked by a journalist why, he chuckled: – How about sending your daughter to a convent in advance? He giggled and quickly moved away – he had many more important matters to attend to, such as what was happening in the Middle East. – In Israel, the Dead Sea. And it begs the question, who killed? Christopher Dabrowski translated by: Julia Mraczny Have a great day Christopher Dabrowski https://krzysztoftdabrowsk.wixsite.com/krzysztoftdabrowski https://www.instagram.com/krzysztof.t.dabrowski/ https://www.facebook.com/Krzysztof-T-Dąbrowski-166581686751600/ Note about the author: Books in USA: "Escape" (2019 - Royal Hawaiian Press), "Anomaly" (2020 - Royal Hawaiian Press), "A Monsters Pretending to be Human" (2024 - ...

Conundrum. The philosophy library in the Arts Tower was deserted at dusk. I flicked the light switch and moved towards the planks of wood the carpenters had left for new shelving. I picked up a plank, balanced it on the top of my boots, then buttoned my maxi coat over it. Once out of the Arts Tower, I placed it under my arm and walked to Broomhill. After five trips, I had my supplies. By daybreak, amidst a litter of wood shavings and split rawlplugs, I had a bookcase, although whether this was a stolen bookcase is a philosophical point. Siobhan O’Sulivan.