October Flashes

Congratulations to this month’s Flash Fiction winner, Maureen Riches, for her story, How the Monkey Got Her Tail.

This month’s parameters are:

Genre:          open (it’s your choice)

Words:         45-50

Keyword:     monkeys (remember to include this word in your story)

Entry Conditions:

You must be a Ballarat Writers member to enter.

Entries will not be accepted if they exceed the maximum word limit – even if by a word, and must comply with all the stated parameters.

All entries are to be submitted to competitions@ballaratwriters.com by Friday, 21st October. Your email must include author’s name, story title and word count.

Voting will open the next day here on the blog.

Come along to our Members’ Night on Wednesday, 26 October, 7pm at the Bunch of Grapes Hotel to hear the winner announced. (Results will also be posted here on the blog the day after.)

Entry 1   Mon cher

Words:  49

J’etais  tres heureux to stay a votre maison. Le jardin etais tres jolie. I am lonely sans vous.  Il ya a un petit problem. If you look under votre table you will find my chewing gum and stuck to that is mon key.

Return a moi, s’il vous plait.

Entry 2   distracted at yoga

Words:   46

“Exhale, right arm up and across.”

“Inhale, stretching forward.”

I should be concentrating more not

thinking about my writing.

“Stretching further on that front leg.”

I see a pattern it looks like

a face smiling at me on the floorboards

like a monkey or an ape.

Entry 3   How the Monkey Got Her Tail

Words:  50

Monkey’s Tail was Emma’s favourite bedtime story.

It was long. I was tired. Emma’s eyes drooped.

I skipped pages shamelessly and fell asleep beside her.

A small hand patted my face.

Dancing before my blurred vision was the Monkey Tail book,

held open at a page that had been skipped.

Entry 4   Caught in the act

Words:   50

Gathering around the box of firecrackers, we planned our assault. Johnny would scare the girls with penny bangers; Millie– light the spinning wheel near old Harry’s window; and Charlie– fire the rocket over the chook house.

Then around the corner marches Johnny’s father. ‘What are you young monkeys up too?!’

Entry 5   Monkeys

Words:  50

Through creation or evolution

there have always been Monkeys.

Swinging in trees, eating bananas,

using thumbs, following number one.

Other than man of modern times.

Monkeys need less, create less mess,

and don’t obey time.

 Laugh and play

full-filling their day.

Not giving a damn

what the man

is doing.

Entry 6   Monkey up now

Words:  47

Stand on your head

red cheeks on show

and catch your tail

in a bite for the moment.

Don’t squeal you’ll frighten

the real monkeys

in the gallery

with their peanut smiles.

If something comes

to your ear

or an eye

don’t tell

let them find out!

 

Vote here!