Tag: improvement

Daily Flash Fiction Challenge 48: Mortal Choices

This is the 48th in a series of 365 Flash Fiction stories I’m writing. You can find out more about the challenge here.

Mortal Choices by Jonathan L. Lawrence, 18th January 2012

Word count: 994

Theme: destiny, hero, champion, evil, madness, magic, fate, prophecy

The story:

Eighteen hours to save the world, the creature had told Oliver, just eighteen hours. He’d also said that Oliver was the chosen one, destined to fight the raging storm of evil, hell bent on enveloping the world.

If he hadn’t been a tiny mouse covered in lizard scales, Oliver would have thought the creature nuts. Instead he could only conclude that he was hallucinating, shook his head and walked away.

Two hours later in work, at the local supermarket, he was quite surprised by an hallucination coming to him as he was scanning a tiramisu .

“Oliver you are the only hope for all our kinds,” the alsation sized scaly creature said.

“No thanks Leia,” Oliver said dismissively, hoping no one saw him talking to himself.

Continue reading “Daily Flash Fiction Challenge 48: Mortal Choices”

Daily Flash Fiction Challenge 47: The Fallen Hero

This is the 47th in a series of 365 Flash Fiction stories I’m writing. You can find out more about the challenge here.

The Fallen Hero by Jonathan L. Lawrence, 17th January 2012

Word count: 1,000

Theme: heroes, fantasy, wrong choices, fate, prophecy, vengeance, guilt, remorse

The story:

“You have returned then,” the old man said hearing footsteps behind where he sat.

The footsteps stopped, but the creator said nothing.

“Come Caje, sit, this game is a little childish.”

The footsteps resumed, they walked around the desk, the chair moved, and then shuddered forward. The old man saw no one, but did not appear surprised. He sighed.

“Caje there is no need for the dagger, are we not friends?”

A figure shimmered into being, sat in the chair holding an ornate knife, which he then tucked inside his belt.

“You are right,” the scarred young man, dressed in soldiers garb said, “I am here, as I promised.”

“I sense not as promised, your journey has changed you,” the old man said.

“The journey you sent me on. The prophecy called for five, not six,” the young man said coldly. “What happened is on your head.”

Continue reading “Daily Flash Fiction Challenge 47: The Fallen Hero”

Daily Flash Fiction Challenge 46: Coward’s Courage

This is the 45th in a series of 365 Flash Fiction stories I’m writing. You can find out more about the challenge here.

Coward’s Courage by Jonathan L. Lawrence, 15th January 2012

Word count: 645

Theme: risk, hero, self doubt, self depreciation, police, crime, robbery

The story:

Jackson never sought out to become a hero, even a minor one. Things just turned out that way. That day started off like any other, he got a call about a small problem, and went to deal with it.

“Breath deeply,” Jackson told himself, “Then cut the wire.”

Snip.

“Okay, first one down now the next, just stay steady,” he braced himself.

Snip.

He pulled himself out of the cupboard.

Continue reading “Daily Flash Fiction Challenge 46: Coward’s Courage”

Daily Flash Fiction Challenge 45: The Furthest Man

This is the 45th in a series of 365 Flash Fiction stories I’m writing. You can find out more about the challenge here.

The Snow Angel, by Jonathan L. Lawrence, 15th January 2012

Word count: 1,000

Theme: exploration, the first, technology, tribute, hope, drive, future, determination

The story:

“Charlie Whiskey Tango,” Captain Peters said into his microphone, “It’s oh nine thirty seven, I’m on final approach.” He settled into to the final manoeuvres that put him on course for entry into the planets atmosphere.

Captain Peters was five hundred light years from home, and on course to be the first man to set foot on an alien world outside the Sol system. Even with faster than light travel it had been a four year journey to reach this point.

The mission had started out as the brain child of Augustus Medley and John Bradley, two PhD students in Manchester, England who had devised the engine. Claire Cowley had joined later, being the person who had discovered the first supposedly habitable planet other than Earth, thus both the planet and the mission were named after her. The ship was named after its designers, the Augustus John. The planet Captain Philips was now fast approaching.

Continue reading “Daily Flash Fiction Challenge 45: The Furthest Man”

Daily Flash Fiction Challenge 44: Nothing gained

This is the 44th in a series of 365 Flash Fiction stories I’m writing. You can find out more about the challenge here.

The Wolf’s Time, by Jonathan L. Lawrence, 14th January 2012

Word count: 586

Theme: futility, war, loss, destruction, politics, alliances, waste

The story:

“We’ll not stand for this,” those were the words my king uttered that launched us into a decade of warfare.

King Correstus was right to oppose the kingdom of Sowii’s threats, blackmail really, of annexing our Eastern holdings if we didn’t support them in a war against our ally the kingdom of Eglasia, not a single man of the court would disagree.

So the land of Casii readied itself for war. The army was enlarged in a wholesale recruitment drive, the nation’s blacksmiths went into overdrive to provide the arms we would require, (though as any soldier will tell you, the quality left a lot to be desired at times), farmers and laborers doubled their efforts to prepare to feed a significant portion of the population that would no longer be working towards the goal of providing sustenance or resources. Our less powerful allies were pressed for support in a variety of ways, and of course we contacted King Veron of Eglasia.

Two months later in a coordinated move the armies of Casii attacked the Eastern border of Sowii, while the armies of Eglasia attacked the Northern border.

It should have been enough to force the Sowii to surrender, but they had prepared for war too, and they had large companies of mercenaries to swell their numbers.

Continue reading “Daily Flash Fiction Challenge 44: Nothing gained”

Daily Flash Fiction Challenge 43: The Snow Angel

This is the 43rd in a series of 365 Flash Fiction stories I’m writing. You can find out more about the challenge here.

The Snow Angel, by Jonathan L. Lawrence, 13th January 2012

Word count: 594

Theme: family, father, loss, joy, pride, growing young, snow, winter, love

The story:

“It’s here, it’s here!” the little boy shouted with such joy.

“Calm down, calm down,” his mother urged him, “it’s too late to be going outside. Besides it’ll be better when you awake in the morning, trust me. Now get to bed.”

“Okay mummy,” the boy acquiesced. He climbed the stairs and went to his room, looked out the window once more with a smile and crawled into bed, eager for the hours of the night to vanish and for it to be morning.

Early the next morning, the boy was woken up by his mothers gentle rocking, and her whispered urgent words to wake up, “Come on Timmy, come see.”

Continue reading “Daily Flash Fiction Challenge 43: The Snow Angel”

Daily Flash Fiction Challenge 42: A Family Tradition

This is the 42nd in a series of 365 Flash Fiction stories I’m writing. You can find out more about the challenge here.

A Family Tradition, by Jonathan L. Lawrence, 12th January 2012

Word count: 725

Theme: family, brother, father, fight, challenge, nobility, honour, distinguish, responsibility

The story:

“It is time, sire,” the page said dropping to one knee to address the king who had stoicly been sat in his throne for three days without rest waiting for this moment.

The king nodded, and broke his vigil to stand, “Fetch my bread, and fetch me wine, then bring my weapons and my armour,” he commanded. The bread and wine were brought first, he ripped a chunk of bread off and dipped it in the wine. He sucked on the wetted bread chunk until all that was left was the crust. “Take the rest, give it someone more deserving, and more in need than I,” he commanded.

Next came the armour, it took three men to carry the armour, and two to carry the sword, a sixth man carried the large daggers. The king was a giant of a man, compared with the people of his kingdom, he was easily a foot taller than their tall men, and he was big and broad. The kingdom respected strength, and they respected their foreign born king for his, and over the years they had learn to respect his wisdom too, he had brought them peace, and prosperity until recently.

The first reports of trouble had been heralded two weeks ago, the word coming from the east was that giants were attacking. The king knew otherwise, and as the reports came closer, he dispatched his army to clear the way, but not to attack. Some had ignored orders to their peril.

As the king strapped on his sword, having put his armour and daggers in place first, he flexed. The old armour was masterfully made, a gift from another king. The leather beneath the panels and studs creaked as they were forced to make way for the still taut muscles of the king.

“I am ready,” the king said to himself quietly.

“Sorry, sire?” his page asked.

“Nothing,” the king said, and then added, “Clear out all of you. Make sure the castle is empty.”

“In the absence of your guard, we will stand and defend you sire,” the page said, the sword and armour bearers did not seem so certain.

“This is not a fight for the kingdom, this is personal,” the king said, “I would not have my people die in my stead.”

Continue reading “Daily Flash Fiction Challenge 42: A Family Tradition”

Daily Flash Fiction Challenge 41: The Wolf’s Time

This is the 41st in a series of 365 Flash Fiction stories I’m writing. You can find out more about the challenge here.

The Wolf’s Time, by Jonathan L. Lawrence, 11th January 2012

Word count: 651

Theme: sci fi, apocalypse again, final hope, terrible sacrifice, space colonies, destroyed world

The story:

“It’s been a long time coming Professor,” the admiral said.

“Yes but time is why we’re here, Admiral Benson,”the Professor said dismissively. He loathed working with the military, but no one else would fund his research. The Professor was James Lupe, formerly of the Masterson University of Deep Space Technologies and Research on Colony 18. He was considered an expert on the principles that under pinned modern faster than light engines.

“So have you succeeded Professor? Or has fourteen billion credits been washed away?” the admiral asked, this was all a pipe dream to him, what was done was done, but those more senior than him felt otherwise. The admiral was a tall broad man, in his late middle ages, a veteran of many battles, though currently his black hair was taking heavy losses from the encroaching grey.

“In simple terms,” having been warned repeatedly about talking in nonsense, “Yes. I have completed humanity’s first, and only faster than time drive.”

“Tell me more,” the admiral said taking a seat, steeling himself against the torrent of jargon he expected.

“There’s not much to say, the drive itself is completed, the navigation system to handle it is just been put together now. Then we’ll fit it to the ship. It should be ready for its maiden voyage next week.”

“Oh,” the admiral said surprised.

The ship was ready to fly, but there were no pilots qualified, the next six months were taken up by recruiting, training, and briefing a small cadre of pilots to under take the experimental mission.

Then it was the time for the big event, the super fast ship had its finishing touches added, the pilots were ensconced. The pilots strapped themselves in and made ready to depart from the space station.

“Ladies and gentlemen, my fellow pilots, I am envious of the opportunity you have today. For two and a half centuries man has been using faster than light drives, compared with the vessel you are now in control of, they were walking slowly. I’m sure you are all aware of the risks of today’s mission, but steel yourselves, stay true and know you’re making a better future for us all.” The admiral cleared his throat, “Any words for humanity before you launch Commander?”

The commander in the seat behind the pilot and his navigator switched his comms to transmit, “Know we do this, not for our own glory, not for the glory of anyone nation, and not for the detriment of any one nation, but for the betterment of all humanity.

“We’re coming home Earth, we’re coming home,” he finished bitter sweetly, remembering the devastated remains of humanity’s mother planet.

“Commander, this is mission control, you are cleared for launch, god speed Rising Grace.”

“Acknowledged mission control,” the commander said, then he turned to the pilot, “You have the words Lieutenant Harvinder, have at it.”

The pilot acknowledged and brought the ship around, then he pushed the throttle, and for a brief moment everyone felt crushed into their seats before a dampening field rose to meet the challenge of the rapid acceleration.

Back on the station the admiral and the Professor watched as the ship accelerated away, and then rapidly blurred out of sight as it beached the light basket. After that they could only watch the subspace sensors track the craft, and as it broke the eighth light barrier it went out of range.

“When will we know?” Admiral Benson asked.

“I don’t know that we will, Admiral,” the Professor said, “Maybe we’ll feel it wash over us, maybe we’ll feel nothing. I’m hoping for the latter.”

Out there, beyond the sight of anyone alive, the Rising Grace receded from the known universe, vanishing away from time as we know it. It’s mission celebrated by thousands, yet none would ever truly understand the what the mission was, and the consequences the Admiral spoke of.

Time slipped away.

Daily Flash Fiction Challenge 40: A Father’s Love

This is the 40th in a series of 365 Flash Fiction stories I’m writing. You can find out more about the challenge here.

A Father’s Love, by Jonathan L. Lawrence, 10th January 2012

Word count: 725

Theme: accident, victim, purpotrator, father, son, protection, facing up

The story:

“Calmly tell me what happened,” Leo’s father Brian asked pushing his son firmly into the chair next to the kitchen table.

“It wasn’t my fault Dad, it wasn’t,” Leo said.

“Start from the beginning, tell me how you came to be in the car,” his father said from the other side of the kitchen as he gathered the first aid kit. Leo sat gathering his thoughts as his father started tending to the cuts and bruises on his face and arms.

“Me and the others,” Leo started finally.

“Which others?” his father interjected.

“Craig, Dave, Eddie, and Francis. We met up to have some drinks and stuff,” Leo said looking up, knowing he was forbidden from drinking, he was still only sixteen, and his dad was uptight about that kind of thing, but Brian wasn’t bothered about the drinking just yet. “We were trying alsorts, Eddie got served at the offie.”

Continue reading “Daily Flash Fiction Challenge 40: A Father’s Love”

Daily Flash Fiction Challenge 38: Meaning

This is the 38th in a series of 365 Flash Fiction stories I’m writing. You can find out more about the challenge here.

Meaning, by Jonathan L. Lawrence, 8th January 2012

Word count: 925

Theme: technology, listlessness, future, hope, meaning, striving, determination

The story:

It wasn’t a glorious childhood, but nor was it a Dickensian tale of woe, abuse, and suffering, but it wasn’t glorious. It was kind of bland, you know? Just like five billion others out there. I guess that’s why I did it.

It was never planned, not early on anyway.

I was like everyone else, I woke up in the morning, showered, brushed my teeth, had breakfast, had coffee, then drive into the office. It was a nine-five job, only it never worked out that way. That said, when I was honest with myself, I didn’t actually know what my job was. It was one of those meaningless jobs, I attended meetings, spouted sage-like nonsense and plans, listened to other people make sage-like nonsense and plans. Then we’d make actions, and go bug other people. Invariably it would all be very exciting, and buzz words would fly around, names would be dropped, and ultimately nothing would happen.

Continue reading “Daily Flash Fiction Challenge 38: Meaning”