Challenge Taken: Once-Upon-A-Time

Saturday’s Showcase Sketches:  

As mentioned in yesterday’s post, I have been working on this month’s flash fiction challenge -again I’ve tried something different and hope it reads well, I may need to re-edit at some point as I still see it as a possible longer piece; some more depth is needed methinks and also more work with weaving in purism…  Anyhoo, I will let you be the judge on that also -so please let me know your thoughts and I’ll take them on board.   Now back to the challenges at hand and also the lovely challengers.

(As always, there is a pdf document at the bottom of the post for those who may find this a difficult read.)

The challenge(s) I am aiming to meet are as follows:

Challenger No 1:  Ken Broad (has serious magical powers) issued another fab picture prompt (see somewhere below) and his challenge rules can be viewed here.

Challenger No 2:  Billie Jo Woods (always surprises me with challenging challenges -are you really trying to push my boundaries?) set the question ‘Where did I come from?’, click here for her rules.

Challenger No 3:  Sonia G. Medeiros (I salute thee who’s challenges as well as stories are as fresh and compelling as the next one) challenged us to create doorways -here’s her rules.

Challenger No 4:  Haley Whitehall (introduced me to flash fictions and now I’m addicted -so you can blame her -go on -I do ) challenge involved aspects of dreams and the various forms of it, for more insight on her rules click here.

Challenger No 5:  Little Moi (couldn’t leave myself out), my rules (which you should know by now) are here.

For the ever inquisitive the word count is (a little over by) 514 (with the title it is 518).  Enjoy!

ONCE-UPON-A-TIME

Once-upon-a-time…

Lyn

I always thought bedtime stories were made-up fantasies for kids.  Make-believe as some adults would say…  So, I never questioned it –not until today.  Today I sit on a dust-ridden couch in a dark, dank room which smells of some vile, putrid fragrance which I care not to ponder too much on or else, I may just gag until my death comes  –it’s my room they say; I know better, I know how their lies fall freely, I know what this is and where I am.  This is not my home -damn my alter-ego for tricking me and placing me here; a re-occurring nightmare which I plan to end –I have hopes and dreams –I will find my way back to where I came from.

…in a world where two worlds existed independently of the other; opposites to a point they were identical –yin and yang in some respects; mirroring each other but worlds apart; a collision course set-in-motion, adventure in the air; our heroes, Lyn cursed Glyn for what he stole…and he for what she ignored…

Glyn

Serves her right for being so naive in her fluffy-white clouds, dreams of meeting her prince in some lame tower –it was all too simple, not a trick –she was willing it to be true –and for my part, it was; I am a man –maybe not of prince material, but a man at least.  There was a tower –well a lighthouse if I must be exact –but a tower nonetheless.  I will not be guilt-ridden for making her wishes come true!  She saw her prince and now she can wait some more; I have no plans to return back to my rancid cell-of-a-room –she can have that all to herself, after all it had been created from the impact of her decisions in this world –now it’s my time to reap the benefits –not wallow in leftover scraps from her royal highness!

…Two worlds, where one makes decisions and the other accepts the options left with no choice –a world where their actions are shadowed by the decision-maker, a world where their voice cannot be heard…

Glyn

Who does she think she –the Queen?

I have a right mind to-

A lesson she needs and a lesson she shall get –there are rules to abide by, she should know –everyone knows; if there isn’t there should be, I’ll instil it if I must and then I’ll make sure the rules stick.

…a world where the silent voices fights back…

Lyn

I need to find that lighthouse where…-if I get my hands on Glyn I’ll give him a piece of my mind!  I never thought I would be part of a tale –the tale of the ‘Distant Worlds’ where I am Trinity and he is Neo; a tale I’ve read a million times –how did I get here?  How did I end up as a story, how did I fail to read the signs?

“Day 164: Cozied Up” by Snugg LePup (Image sourced through: Flickr)

…where the rules become stories, where stories become real and where reality is questionable by all except you… 

The End.

Copyright © Ozlem Yikici 2011 & Copyright © doodllz™ 2011. All Rights Reserved.

***

It’s really bizarre how this story kind of unintentionally wove these challenges together(ish) on its own (not much planning here); some may be more visible than others (brownie points if you can spot them in the story).  So the million dollar/sterling (doesn’t have the same ring now does it?) question is, how did I fare?  Yay or nay?  Any places to improve on?

Do you take part in flash fictions?  Where can we read them?  How and why did you start?

As you already know, thoughts and comments are encouraged as always -even if it is just a word -as ‘all good discussions start with just one word‘.

Pdf document:  Challenge Taken – Once-Upon-A-Time

If there is a topic you would like me to look into and explore in my own yikici-kind-of-way then please feel free to leave a suggestion in the comment box below or for those of you who are a wee bit shy drop me a line via my contact page or email me at ozlem@yikici.co.uk

Care to join me for some collaborative work or be a guest blogger?  If so, email me at the above address.