Tag: creative

Once Upon a Time Writing Contest: Cath Barton

The Shining Vase
by Cath Barton
I’d picked up the vase in a junk shop in that little town over the Black Hill. It shone at me from the depths of a dusty room on a dank day. I ran my fingers over the surface and it felt like the smoothest skin that ever was. It’s a funny thing to say but it seemed alive. It was only when I got home that I realised I hadn’t paid for it. I went back the next Saturday, but the shop was shut up and empty. No sign, no nothing. So what could I do?

I do a lot of flower arranging, it’s what I love. And the vase was wonderful. It seemed to physically meld with whatever flowers I put into it, enhance their colours and their scents.  The more I used it, the better my arrangements.

But one day an annoying thing happened. I had flowers all over the table and the front door bell rang, really loudly.  It startled me and I knocked the vase over. All for nothing because it was some stranger asking for Shaylee.

When I’d got rid of the man, told him there was no Shaylee at this address, never had been, I went back into the kitchen and I could hear weeping. The walls are thin and I thought that it must be the kid next door. I put both my hands on the vase to set it upright again and the noise stopped. But something was different. My flower arrangement just wouldn’t come right and I felt as if I was in some kind of battle with nature. Flower stems snapped, petals fell off, the greenery wilted and the vase looked sullen.
“Well, so would you be upset if someone had pushed you over.”  I whirled round. There was a shining girl standing in the doorway.
“I’m Shaylee,” she said. “I used to live in the fields here. It’s time for us to go on a journey together.”

Shaylee’s taken my place, and now that I’m on the other side, she arranges flowers in me.

Once Upon a Time Writing Contest: Oliver Barton

This entry is by Oliver Barton. Contest details found here.
Pink Bells
The pair progress laboriously along the path in the park. He leaning on a stick, each step a pain, she almost bent double, hand in his. She clutches a paper bag. They sit carefully on a bench, very close, avoiding the damper spots. In front of them stretches a sea of pink bells.

It is nine in the morning, and the bag contains croissants. Gertie hands one to Arthur. They nibble in silence, flakes fluttering like confetti.

While a blackbird sings and sparrows edge towards the crumbs, Gertie extends a bent finger towards a plaque half-submerged in the flowers.

‘What does it say?’ she asks.

‘I don’t know,’ he says, because it is several feet away and his eyes aren’t too good.

With a groan, she gets to her feet and shuffles towards it. Bent as she is, she still can’t make it out. She retrieves a pair of spectacles hanging round her neck, and peers closer.

Arthur hears her saying something, but his hearing is not too good either. He sees her move forward among the flowers. As she does, she shrinks, smaller and smaller, until she vanishes into the pinkness.

Two sparrows squabble over a croissant crumb and fly off, startling Arthur. He struggles to rise. With his stick, he moves the blooms aside so that he can see the plaque clearly. He expects something like the name of the business that has sponsored this bed, but it simply says ‘Come in. Make yourself at home.’

So he steps into the sea of flowers, and at once the pink bells inflate and grow until they are several times his height. The scent is overwhelming, the chime of the bells deep and sonorous. He walks towards Gertie and the others, praying that it doesn’t rain. A raindrop the size of a settee would be unsettling. But, he thinks, they must have ways of dealing with that.

Back on the bench, a little breeze sweeps the paper bag off into a graceful dance, a homage, an obeisance, and all is still.

Once Upon a Time Writing Contest: Ready Set GO!

Behold our brand-new logo for our magnificent flash fiction contest. The photograph is courtesy James Lennie (@james_lennie on Twitter) and actually shows a phenomenon called Earthshine. Thanks for allowing us to use your image, James! Design by me.

So, Fictionlings, it’s time to start your engines. The OUAT Flash Fiction contest is now go! You have from today (April 4) till April 29, midnight EST.

The word length for submissions is 350 words.You can have less, but no more. Don’t forget to link your submission by the time the contest closes. Those who entered the Fairy Ring contest will recognize our link tool. Post the story on your blog along with the code (WordPress Blog users will need to contact me for alternate code). Then you click the blue button to add your link, add a thumbnail photo and PRESTO!

Remember, the theme is Unexpected Fairy Tales. You can go here to read more about OUAT writing theme.

If you are on Twitter, please follow my co-host (@sjiholliday) and myself (@ruanna3), as well as the contest hashtag (#ouatwriting) so you don’t miss a single update.

As far as prizes…well, we must have some startling surprises, mustn’t we? Suffice to say, you shall be well rewarded for your pains.

The one prize announced is that the 1st place winner will be listed on the National Flash Fiction Day website for international rockstar status!

Why are you still reading this post? GO FORTH AND WRITE!

(Below is the HTML code. Paste it into the HTML code at the bottom of your entry (WordPress users please comment with your email so I can send you that version of the code). Then just click the blue button and add your link and thumbnail photo!)