Worthing Flash

These two stories are the result of a sentence suggested to me by Derek McMillan. I decided to write two stories with the same start. Thank you, Derek, for your suggestion. Andrée Roby – December 2021 Story 1 I felt a presence behind me but I did not look back until I heard the crowd erupt in an exalted roar. Something was about to happen, but I had no idea what. I breathed deeply. My whole body was tense and my heart was pumping hot blood around my veins. I was too tired to run away. The four-legged animals that had chased me relentlessly a few moments ago, had exhausted me. I turned around slowly, eyeing a two-legged creature making its way towards me. The figure was approaching, its body glittering in the sun, almost blinding me. The dust from the sand underfoot formed a cloud behind the creature. As it was moving towards me, I noticed it was carrying some long colourful sticks. The crowd roared again as the creature got level with my shoulders. I saw the sticks raised...

Taking in a piece of chicken, David chewed thoughtfully as he looked around: only ten (give or take) souls sat here and there. Some sat in pairs while the rest ate alone, just like David.  The man walked toward David, gesturing if he could sit across from David. David gestured politely to help himself out. And he did. After setting his tray, he pulled out the pen and paper, smiling, and bowed down his head to write something. Then, he looked at David with a smile as he slid the note toward David. David looked down toward the note— He read the message and he froze for a second before he returned his gaze toward the hearing guy sitting across from him.  He looked back at David with a smile and no hint of contempt, waiting for an answer. Looking back down at the note, the message said “How do you learn to read and write?” David pulled out his own pen and scribbled down the same words - word by word. Smiling, David slid it back toward the naïve hearing guy. He loo...

Chris Fielden's famous list of writing competitions is here

It is unusual to have a genie appear in your living room. She had light brown hair. “ You have one wish,” she said, “You cannot wish for more wishes because that is greedy.” Genie looked at me kindly. “ I do wish my memory were better,” I said after a little thought. “ Your wish is my command, sweetie,” she said. Oh, frabjous day! Phone numbers; what I intended to buy at the shops; why I went upstairs; they all came flooding back. And then the dark memories crept in and I remembered every bad thing I had done; every person I had hurt; every time I had been embarrassed in my whole life. They were all there too in vivid detail. OMG, I looked at the genie. She had a patient understanding look when she reminded me, “Just the one wish, cupcake. You can't wish to unremember the bad things.” Derek McMillan is the author of the best-selling* audio book Brevity which is available on eBay. * I know best-sellers usually have sales in the millions. For me 50 is a best-seller a...

Neil Armstrong was the first person to step on the moon but I am going to be the first person to do something more remarkable: step into another universe and verify the Many Worlds theory.. I enter the Multiverse Terminal Machine. I am pressing the button. I feel a strange sensation which I can't place. When I open the machine's door I see what is unusual. I am completely naked. Am I in a universe where people go around naked? I'm greeted by a woman who looks like my assistant Mel. “Welcome to the multiverse, sir. Are you Doctor James Chaloner?”. How did she know my name? I ask the standard question. “That is my name. Who is prime minister and who is president of the United States?” “The prime minister is Boris Johnson and the president of the United States is Joe Biden.” Perhaps the machine hasn't worked at all, other than removing my clothes, and I'm still in my own laboratory. She continues, “The man who came through before you came from a universe where...