Flame(>499 words)

Midnight Sun 5

/ Liz H-H / 16 Comments
Small house on a rocky moutain top, cloudy sky and evergreen healthy

© Ayr/Gray

Many thanks to Jenne Gray and C.E. Ayr for their photo prompt, THE UNICORN CHALLENGE. 11/01/2024). No more than 250 words in length.

It was slow going, but once they’d gotten through the heavy new growth at forest’s edge, the journeywoman relaxed in the saddle and let Horse take the lead following the glacial stream. The further along they went, the broader the tree trunks, and the greater the space between them. She’d not slept well the night before and the slow, undulating climb had lulled her into a dream. Or perhaps it was a vision? Continue reading →

Citronella (Parts 1-3)

/ Liz H-H / 11 Comments
Apartment building with a gated terrace, and no obvious entry.

© Ayr/Gray

Citronella (Part 1)  

Citronella leaned over the balcony and sighed, staring down at the village parti-gras. Before, she’d been content to lean on the iron parapet, separate from the mad goings-on below. Before, she’d been satisfied with her mother’s witchy warnings of the dangers of joining the sweaty rabble. Before, she’d felt empowered by her choice of who she’d let climb her long, golden braid to the top floor. She’d lived there for as long as she could remember. 
***              Continue reading →

Unicorn

/ Liz H-H / 22 Comments
Boy sitting with his white dog, looking out over a shipyard, mountains distant

© Ayr/Gray

From Jenne Gray and C.E. Ayr’s photo prompt, The Unicorn Challenge (12/29/23). No more than 250 words in length. Otherwise, let your creative flag fly!

Summer’s last sigh had arrived too soon. It was time to return to school and be constantly reminded that he was different. He gazed longingly over the concrete and steel shipping yard. His half-grown puppy leaned warm against his side, panting.    Continue reading →

Harrison’s Release

/ Liz H-H / Leave a comment

Humor is very hard to place.//Many thanks to Doug Jacquier and Witcraft.org // For accepting my sense of humor // And my alter-ego, Tessa Kjeldsdottir.


I was giving the Qtip a final twirl when my cousin Jonny hollered up to tell me that Harrison had been released from prison. At first I’d heard “Harry’s song had greased the prism,” which made no sense at all. But then I remembered the Qtip in my one good ear…

Please click here to access the rest of the story: https://witcraft.org/2023/11/22/harrisons-release/

© Liz Husebye Hartmann (2023)

Advert: A Cautionary Tale

/ Liz H-H / 7 Comments

For FlashNano Day 24, we were challenged to write a flash in the form of an advertisement. Many players had fun with this. Here is my answer:

A middle aged man with a bad comb-over of fading blond hair, dressed in khaki dress pants, a short-sleeve shirt and man sandals, rambles down a city street, bending to pick up dollar bills from the sidewalk right in front of him. He stuffs them in his pants pockets, front and back.

[Announcer: Dick spends his entire life chasing the all-mighty dollar]  Continue reading →

Dreamtime Travel

/ Liz H-H / 3 Comments

Steaming coffee mug

The coffee is good today. Michaela must have set up the brewer, after a thorough wash of all the parts that even the Mom and Pop shops seem to need to have for a decent cup, at high traffic volume. I sashay over to a single table in the corner. The table has one chair and a padded bench seat that extends from one end of the wall to the windows opposite. I prefer the bench because I sit here several times a week to watch the customers wander in, sit or hurry out, all versions of my past and future selves filing through. Continue reading →