Tag: furiousfiction

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Fiction

Just Keep Playing | FURIOUS FICTION

“Just put it into the slot!” Evan screamed. I stood, frozen as the sweat fell down my face.
This hadn’t been what I had in mind when I suggested a mystery trip holiday.

I slipped the small knife–which still dribbled blood onto the floor–into the door’s mail slot and exhaled. It was done.
The chilling voice from the speaker echoed, “well done. Stand by for further instructions.”
“Emily?” At the sound of Evan’s soft voice, I turned and frowned. “How are we going to get out of here?”
The room had been designed to keep occupants inside it; with no means of escape. I looked around it once again; up at the cameras and speakers lining the roof.
There were no doors and no windows in the room. Only a chair, and whatever instruments came through the slot in the door.
How had they ended up here?
“Let’s just keep playing the game. Maybe he’ll let us out if we keep playing.” I suggested. Evan gave a half-hearted shrug and collapsed onto the chair.
This was hour 3 of the nightmare they had endured, and the fatigue was written all over his face. I was feeling it too, but I refused to let it show.
The voice echoed once again, “Make sure to bandage your hand, Emily.”
The slot in the door opened, and a sealed medical package dropped onto the floor. It was only then that I remembered my injured hand.
They’d asked for a sample of my blood; apparently the only way to move onto the next level.
How had they ended up here?
Evan tended to her hand and when he had secured the bandage, the speaker sprung to life once again. “Thank you for playing the game. We appreciate your participation. Stand by for further instructions.”
How had they ended up here?
Emily’s memory was unusually foggy. They had just been out for a walk along the beach. Hadn’t they?
“We appreciate your participation. You have passed all the necessary tests. Quickly now, you don’t want to miss the boat.”
Emily shuffled backward as the door to the room unlocked. Cautiously, they stepped forward and pulled it open.
They quickly made their way through the house and exited through the front door. Nobody stopped them, nobody followed them.
After walking through dense shrubbery for an hour, a loud boat horn broke the silence. We stood in silence, staring out at a marina.
A boat. Just like he’d said.
We made our way to the closest one and explained our ordeal.
“You’re lucky. I was just about to ship out when you folks walked out,” the captain explained. We gave our thanks and boarded the ship, away from the trauma that we had experienced.
“We made it out,” Evan said quietly as we sailed away.
I frowned as a small flash of light flickered through the trees. It was coming from the direction of the house. “Just.”

I hope you enjoyed one of my Furious Fiction entries. If YOU want to give Furious Fiction a go, you can head to the AWC website >>>>here and throw your hat in the ring! Good luck!

See You in the Adventures!
Christy Grace

Categories
Fiction

The LAUNDROMAT | FURIOUS FICTION

DO NOT OVERLOAD THESE MACHINES
The words were in big block letters and I read, then reread them over and over. I tapped my foot quickly as the sun on my back continued to heat my neck.
He was late.
My first drop at a laundromat and he was late.
A short woman in her eighties waddled into the room and I crossed my arms.
She glanced at me and smiled, carrying a basket full of clothes onto the small table opposite me. I smiled back and glanced around the room, fidgeting with the edge of my shirt. Where was he?
I patted the stuff in my jacket pocket and exhaled. This was such a stupid decision. As I stood up, a tall, thin man in his forties walked into the room. His shirt sleeves were ripped displaying a large tattoo and he had a scraggly beard that hit his chest.
He was here.

I took a deep breath and glanced at the old lady, her back turned away. The man looked over at me and nodded, slinging a bag from over his shoulder, onto the ground near the machines.
I stood and readjusted my jacket, slowly walking towards him. As I approached him, he looked up and smiled.
“Sam?” I asked, looking down at the man, sweat slowly falling down the back of my neck. He frowned and stood,
“No, sorry man.” He slapped my shoulder and turned back to the bag, pulling out dirty clothes and stuffing them into the machine.
I opened my mouth but nothing came out. As I spun, I glanced around the room. Was he not going to show? Sighing, I stared at the sign again.
DO NOT OVERLOAD THESE MACHINES.

“You shouldn’t overload the machines, Dear.” The old woman said quietly. I turned and frowned,
“What?” I asked as she turned and smiled.
“My name is Sam. I think I’m who you’re looking for.” She said, crossing her arms and leaning against the table. I snorted out a laugh and shook my hand.
“I don’t think so,” I said, smiling. The woman rolled her eyes and looked over at the man at the machine, leaning in.
“Just give me the stuff dumbass.” Her voice was hard and her wrinkles deepened as she scowled. I stuttered over my words and glanced at the man, headphones now in his ears.
“Stop blubbering and give me the chewing tobacco,” Sam said, holding out a wrinkled hand. I looked down at it and reached into my jacket. As I handed her the paper bag she grinned and pulled out a small purse.
“I don’t see why this isn’t sold in Australia anyway.” She muttered as she rummaged inside the purse, pulling out the money. She shoved it into my hand and nodded towards the door.
“You can go now,” she turned and continued organising her laundry.

See You in the Adventures!
Christy Grace

 

Categories
Fiction

The Eraser | FURIOUS FICTION

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He stood straighter, “It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should, therefore, be treated with great caution.”
She noted his stern expression, then locked eyes with the artifact.
“So how do we stop The Eraser? Using the artifact?”

He frowned, “I wish he had a better supervillain name. I feel like we’re fighting a school supply.”
She chuckled, “He plans to erase all life on the earth. I think he deserves the name.”
“Do you remember when he started? Just erasing superheroes? Now he wants to erase all life,” He rolled his eyes.
She exhaled and leaned on the table, “He’s never done anything like this before.”
The sound of an explosion shook the room and they fell to the ground. When she looked up, the smoke was thick and she waved her arms, looking for the table legs.
Grabbing hold of one, she pushed herself up. The smoke was clearing and she saw her partner still lying on the floor. As she started moving towards him, The Eraser started laughing. The smoke parted and he walked into the room, his Thing One and Thing Two goons on either side.

“Well, well, well. Looks like I caught you by surprise,” he said.
“You’ll never get the artifact Eraser,” she said as she took a step closer to it.
“I’m not so sure of that,” The Eraser pulled out a small box. He hovered his finger over the large red button and smiled. “This is an explosive device that I’ve specially modified. Do you want to know how?”
She scoffed, “I can stop anything you throw at me.” She flicked her hands and the fire started to burn.

The Eraser tutted and Thing One pulled a fire hose from behind his back.
“That won’t stop me for long Eraser,” she said, moving closer to the artifact.
“Perhaps not,” The Eraser said quietly. He took a step closer to her and nodded at her partner., “This explosive is linked with his DNA. So unless you want your precious partner to die, you’ll hand over the artifact.”
She flicked her hands again and the fire disappeared.
The Eraser nodded, “Good girl. Now, hand it over or I will push this button and he will be destroyed.”
She glances down at her partner and took a deep breath.
”What’s it going to be then, eh?”

See You in the Adventures!
Christy Grace

Categories
Fiction

The Cake | Furious Fiction

Enjoy the Furious Fiction from April 2020! I did 😀
The lemon, wedding cake wobbled in my arms. I shifted it, then continued to walk alongside the dirt road. I was still miles from the venue, and the rain from last night was not helping as I sidestepped another puddle. That damn car had always seemed to have it in for me, always breaking down at the most important moments of my life.
I checked all three tiers of the cake and smiled; they were still tied securely with large yellow ribbons. It had been a challenge to get the same yellow pigment in the rosettes, but I was proud of the final match.

A stone on the path pierced through my thin shoe and into my foot. I yelped, and felt my masterpiece once again shifting. Desperately, I tried to balance the heavy cake, managing to gain control once again. As if in slow motion, I watched as the cake topper slid further towards the edge of the top tier. In a panic, I tried to stabilise the cake and save the bride and groom. The movements worsened my dilemma, and I watched helplessly, as the icon of happily ever after slid off the cake, landing in a nearby puddle.
The topper splashed muddy water onto the bottom of my lemon yellow dress, and I groaned. There was less than an hour until the ceremony, and my heart began to sink; I was going to miss the wedding.

A car behind me honked and I turned, still trying to maintain balance. The man behind the wheel smiled, popping the locks to the passenger seat and motioning with his head for me to get in. I smiled wide and slid the cake inside, returning to the puddle for the bride and groom topper. As I jumped into the car and we continued towards the hotel, I revealed my traumatic ordeal. The man, also a guest at the wedding, kindly stepped on the gas, rocketing towards the event.

We arrived just as the harp started to play, and the bride began her decent down the aisle. I thanked the gentleman, then sidestepped the guests, sneaking quietly towards the catering area. The apron I was wearing now had dirt and flour covering the surface, but I ignored it and shuffled backwards, pushing my ass through the swinging door to the kitchen.

Once I’d passed the cake off to the other catering staff, I sucked in a deep breath. As the panic dissipated, I peeked my head out through the door and smiled. Guests began to cheer as the bride and groom shared their wedding day kiss.
I’d done it.

See You in the Adventures!
Christy Grace

Categories
Fiction

Happy New Year…BANG (Furious Fiction)

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Below is a Furious Fiction written for the AWC in January 2020 – Enjoy!

 

Happy New Year… BANG

“Three, Two, One! Happy New Year!” Cheering echoed through the city.
“Cue the fireworks,” Elliot chirped beside me, as the sky lit up. I peeled my eyes away from the spectacular display in my binoculars, and focused on our target instead.
“New Years Eve is perfect for this type of mission,” Elliot said.
As I pulled the binoculars down, he moved to his sniper perch.
“Nobody hears the shot when all the fireworks are booming,” He flashed a side smile in my direction. “It’s just serendipity that our target is in the city tonight.”
I sighed and pulled down the eye glasses, watching as he set up the long-range sniper rifle.
“Do you ever feel bad?” I asked.
Elliot chuckled, then turned to face me, “You knew what this gig was, why feel bad now?” He frowned and continued setting up the rifle.
“This mission is in the high double digits for me, maybe I’ve done enough.”
Elliot paused then let go of the gun, his voice now a whisper, “Careful what you’re saying Stella, the walls have ears.”

As he turned back to the rifle again, I glanced around the room.
‘Good reasons don’t always mean good actions’
My mothers the words from childhood echoed through my thoughts.
Maybe it was time for me to get out.
I spotted the emergency burner phone sticking out from one of the gear bags, and I checked again on Elliot. As he stared through the sniper scope, I silently slipped the phone into my pocket.

This target was supposed to be a traitor, but there was no concrete proof. It was as good a person as any, to warn of the impending consequences.
Fireworks continued to crack above us and I pulled out the secure phone, unlocking it. I typed in the number, then a warning message and took in a deep breath, hitting the button and sharing the assassination plans.
Slipping out the battery, I then pulled out the SIM card and snapped it in half, tossing the phone back into my bag.

As I pulled up the binoculars once again, I heard Elliot inhale, “Ok, I see the target. I almost have a clear shot.” We watched as the spy checked her mobile phone.
After a moment, she put it back into her pocket, then in a sudden burst, dove onto the floor.
“What’s she doing?” Elliot asked. Shots from the spy’s apartment flew towards us, and we ducked, waiting for an opening to return fire.
“We’re blown, we’re blown! Agents need backup!” Elliot yelled into his radio.
It was done. I was out, one way or the other.

Hope you enjoyed this ‘Furious Fiction’ short story! For more, check out the ‘ADVENTURES’ page and search for Furious Fiction!
See You in The Adventures
CG

Categories
Fiction

The Picture (Furious Fiction)

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Below is a Furious Fiction for the AWC – Enjoy!!

 

The Picture

My own wheezing breath swirled through my ears and I bent over, trying to inhale deeply.
“Hey, are you alright?” A distant voice asked.
I sapped upright and gave a shaky nod, then turned and bumped into another woman on the footpath. Through the fog I heard ‘Rude’ and ‘Must be on drugs’ but I kept propelling forward without uttering an apology.
Why did I just do that?
I spun around a corner, keys jingling in my pocket as I smashed my back against the wall. A sharp stab in my left leg sent pain sensors coursing through my body, and I winced.
How could I have just done that?
The street was jam-packed full of commuters, and as they zipped past me as I inhaled sharp breaths. Swallowing hard, I carefully peeked to where I had been standing a few moments earlier.
It’s still there.
I closed my eyes and counted to ten. My mind was racing with the possibilities of the next 24 hours. I tried to take deeper breaths.
It would be fine right?

As my right eye twitched open, I saw him. He was driving the Australia Post van.
Flicking both eyes open fully, I flung myself forwards towards the stranger; the one who held my future in his hands.
He hopped into the driver’s seat and pulled his van into traffic. Frantic, I searched the cars for my own, then stumbled over my feet as I began a race with the disappearing van. He was going to deliver the letter, the one with…. the picture.
I shook my head and slammed my door closed, punching the gas pedal and screeching forward. What was I thinking? Our relationship didn’t need more sizzle. If anything, it needed less.
How could I have done that?

As the van got further and further away, I felt the panic rising. Clicking onto the Voice Activation option, I screamed an order at the steering wheel to call Dean.
“Hello?” Dean answered, his voice croaky.
“Were you sleeping at two o’clock in the afternoon?” I asked, shaking my head and swerving into the left lane, “Never mind. It’s coming today and you have to ignore it.”
“What?” Dean asked, yawning loudly.
“A letter is coming today. Just ignore it,” I said as the van turned into my street.
“What are you talking about, what letter?”
I groaned, “I sent you a letter.”
The van pulled up next to my house and I slammed on my breaks.
“Hang on, there’s someone at the front door. I think it’s the mail,” Dean said as I tried unsuccessfully to squeak out words, any words to stop it.
He groaned and whispered the worst four words I’ve ever heard, “I’ll call you back.”
The line clicked.

I hope you enjoyed this Furious Fiction short story!
If you want more, head to the ADVENTURES page and search for ‘Furious Fiction’
See You in The Adventures!
CG

Categories
Life

A Real Murder Mystery

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Recently I posted up a Furious Fiction Short Story called ‘Lady Eloise’
It contained something Interesting – a murder, and a party, and a birthday (link to the story will be at the end of this post, so keep reading)…

When I was in Year 7 at school, I went to a Murder Mystery party for a friends birthday. We dressed up, went to her house, and guessed all night which of us had done the dastardly deed!

When it was all done and dusted, I think it was safe to say that I was hooked. I loved mysteries, and solving the crime! This could have been the beginning of my crime and mysteries love affair, but who could say for sure?

I especially liked playing a character for the night (One, I might add, which was VERY different to my own personality – slutty dress included) and trying to figure out the clues.
I’ve done a few murder mystery dinner parties myself in recent years; some with success, others fell apart – but hey, it’s the thought that counted right?!

Have you ever done a Murder Mystery party, or thought about doing one? These days they have themes, written clues and audio – it’s all very much of a spectacle!
What would YOUR idea of a perfect MM Party theme be? I liked the 20s gangster version, or would you prefer a safari gone wrong?
Let me know in the Comments your Ideal MMParty Theme!

Check out the ‘Lady Eloise – Furious Fiction’ post at the link below to see what happened in the dinner party.

See You in the Adventures!
Christy Grace

Categories
Life

Underground Book Dealers

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“Do you have the stuff?”
“Yeah, you got the cash?”
“Wait! The cops are coming, hide it!”

I know, I know… but as cliche as the above conversation may be, it was the kind of intro I was looking for, so I ran with it.

Recently, I published a short story ‘The Last Bookstore’ (link at the end of the post) which explored the idea of the LAST EVER Bookstore in existence. But how did that happen, and why? (I guess you’ll have to read it to find out)

Even though I was limited by 500 words for the original story with #furiousfiction guidelines, my mind didn’t stop thinking about the possibilities of a world with no more printed books.

The next idea I stumbled onto, was when I realised the list of things which are illegal or hard to get hold of (like weapons, drugs, Bibles – depending where in the world you live) and I thought of something…

The world has undesirable sellers, a seedy underbelly, a black market, (again with the cliches, but who cares). Right now, there isn’t too much outrage about ebooks slowly taking over (like the machines will do one day – just you wait). Eventually though, our technology is turning towards paperless society – what with all the concern about the trees, and the convenience of technology which is slowly chipping away at our privacy rights (but that’s a rant for another day).

So, assuming there was no more printed books, and it was decided by the powers that be (you know, those influential businessmen who basically decide everything about commerce / the economy, and the world we know it – a little on the conspiracy side, but stay with me) that paper books were now illegal – what would happen?

Do you think that an outcry for books printed on paper will be loud enough to start an underground movement? It worked for alcohol in the prohibition days didn’t it?
I can just picture it now….

— She lifted her skirt above her ankles and ducked down the small set of steps, leading to the Internet Cafe. Eyeing each customer, Julia gave a slight nod to the large, muscular man who stood beside the door labelled ‘Employees Only’.
As he opened the door, Julia slipped a ten dollar note into the breast pocket of his shirt and slipped behind him, disappearing into the large, oak passageway. The customers were light tonight, but business was still booming.
“How much is it for the Sherlock Holmes first edition?” A customer in front of her asked a salesman. Books were a booming trade right now. No matter what the government or business types decided, there was always going to be a desire for that feeling of real paper flipping through your fingers, as you explored the world of spies, romance, mysteries and fantasy.—

Ok, so the example above is a little on the dramatic side, but who would have thought a Speakeasy would have operated with much the same cloak and dagger before neighbourhood pubs and bars opened on every corner?

Do you think that if printed books were extinct, there would be an underground marketplace? Would YOU miss the feel of freshly printed paper through your hands? Personally, I prefer reading with a physical book in my hand – but is it worth being arrested?

Just something to think about…

If you want to read about The Last Bookstore (and what happens to it) from my Furious Fiction Flashback, follow the link below:

https://atomic-temporary-148610121.wpcomstaging.com/2019/11/29/the-last-bookstore-furious-fiction/

See You in the Adventures!
Christy Grace