fantasy · flash friday · Writing

Friday Flash: A Thief’s Gains

This week’s Friday flash (or Friday drabble, as it were) is based on this photo from wiki commons. It’s supposed to be some type of chemical element, but to me, it looks like a good magical item.

Thorn stared at the luminescent, colorful rock. Rummaging through the wizard’s things, he’d picked it up by accident. He could never resist color; it was why the inn owner forced him to work here.

He rubbed its end and pricked his finger. Blood smeared the pretty stone, sparkling in the lamplight. He rubbed it away, than sucked his finger.

He blinked. Smoke rose from the stone, clotted into the shape of a man. He blinked again. He was seeing things.

One solid arm reached out and ripped Thorn’s head off.

The wizard leaned against the door. “Good job, genie.”

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33 thoughts on “Friday Flash: A Thief’s Gains

  1. That’s a neat photo. Two things that people make, both sort of abstract. Three, if you count the story you spun out of them. Four, if you count the homicidal genie!

  2. My step son has a rock that looks like that. Really cool. Nice twist on the genie tale. No wish granted there. *snickers* One typo, I think lamp light should be lamplight.

    1. LOL But, hey, maybe the wizard got a wish.

      He does? That’s great. I think it would make a great piece of decor. Thanks, I will fix that.

  3. I was really drawn in by the first three paragraphs – great writing. In an odd way I felt cheated by the early end. Don’t get me wrong – I love short, short pieces – maybe it was because I was so drawn in I didn’t want it to end!

    1. I think it could have been longer. Maybe. Probably, because I had a time cutting it down to 100 words. Not that the cut changed much, but I am sure I could’ve added another level of drama.

  4. Interesting photo and interesting drabble – not what I was expecting in the ending at all—poor Thorn. I would have liked Thorn not to be killed and this drabble extended into more, I think there was potential there for a much longer tale to be weaved. But having said that—nice twist to a good story!

    1. Thank you! Yeah, you’re right, I think it could have been longer. Not sure I want to spend the time and energy it would take to do that though.

  5. Very nice. I like the way you played with magic into this image and it captures people playing with things they don’t understand. Still, I feel a little for Thorn. I think it’s because he feels somewhat innocent of greed.

    1. You know, in my mind, he was just someone who had a hard time resisting pocketing pretty things. Greed might be the smallest part of why he steals.

  6. Sonia, you are one of the six finalists in my Flash Fiction Blogfest. Votes will continue until Friday where I will announce the winners.

    This was short and to the point. It paints a picture without having to over-explain what is going on. The ending surprised me. I love the mystical elements. Great job!

    Good luck and congrats!

  7. Congratulations, Sonia! You tied for third place in my Flash Fiction Blogfest. You’ve won a gift card for $15 to Amazon. Please send me an email with the email address you want your gift card sent to.

    Congrats!

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