Badly Kept Secrets, by Bruce Arbuckle

April 19, 2023 Bruce humpbuckletales dribble, fiction, fiftywordfiction, fiftywordstory, flash fiction, flashfiction, humpbuckletales, microfiction, short story, Stories, story, Tales, zapfic50

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Putting her eye to the small scratch in the frosting on the surgery window Dr Maras watches her wife sneak out for a clandestine cigarette before the next patient arrives. She pretends she doesn’t know Lilly has started smoking again. And Lilly doesn’t comment on the empty wine bottles, anymore.

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A 50-word story written by Bruce Arbuckle, inspired by the Freewriters Writing Prompt on Hive, “surgery window”

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Bruce Arbuckle (felt.buzz)

The Mountain, by Bruce Arbuckle

April 18, 2023 Bruce humpbuckletales dribble, fiction, fiftywordfiction, fiftywordstory, flash fiction, flashfiction, humpbuckletales, microfiction, short story, Stories, story, Tales, zapfic, zapfic50

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I never got over The Mountain. My first crush, he was two years older and way out of my league. Everyone loved him, or wanted to be him. But all that adoration from afar couldn’t save him. Perhaps, he didn’t feel there was anyone was close enough to confide in.

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A 50-word story written by Bruce Arbuckle, inspired by the Freewriters Writing Prompt on Hive, “over the mountain”

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My Humpbuckle Tales are always published first on Hive

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Bruce Arbuckle (felt.buzz)

Gathering, by Bruce Arbuckle

April 17, 2023 Bruce humpbuckletales dribble, fiction, fiftywordfiction, fiftywordstory, flash fiction, flashfiction, humpbuckletales, microfiction, short story, Stories, story, Tales, zapfic50

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They’re still there. Fifty people, standing in silence, motionless on her lawn, heads bowed like powered down androids.

“I don’t like it Mummy,” Kia says. “Make them go away.”

She called the police. They’re not picking up.

“Stay there,” she says. Gripping the kitchen knife tightly she opens the door.

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A 50-word story written by Bruce Arbuckle, inspired by the Freewriters Writing Prompt on Hive, “standing in silence”

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Find me (as HumpbuckleTales ) on Mastodon

Read my daily 50 word stories every day here or on Hive or on Facebook

My Humpbuckle Tales are always published first on Hive

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Bruce Arbuckle (felt.buzz)

Gamesmaster, by Bruce Arbuckle

April 15, 2023April 15, 2023 Bruce humpbuckletales dribble, fiction, fiftywordfiction, fiftywordstory, flash fiction, flashfiction, humpbuckletales, microfiction, short story, Stories, story, Tales, zapfic50

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Your hobbies include mind games and gardening. The later brought joy, the former pain. You abandoned me, I dumped you on the compost heap in my head. Now toxins leech out from my decaying memories of you, and my fertile soul absorbs your poisons. You always did play to win.

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A 50-word story written by Bruce Arbuckle, inspired by the Freewriters Writing Prompt on Hive, “compost”

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Find me (as HumpbuckleTales ) on Mastodon

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Bruce Arbuckle (felt.buzz)

Knot Up, by Bruce Arbuckle

April 14, 2023 Bruce humpbuckletales dribble, fiction, fiftywordfiction, fiftywordstory, flash fiction, flashfiction, flashfictionfriday, fridayflashfiction, humpbuckletales, microfiction, short story, Stories, story, Tales, zapfic50

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Some days, the bed won’t release him until the icy knot in his stomach thaws. The duvet hugs his face, shutting out morning light. Bubbles meows, scratching at the covers until he emerges, a zombie rising from the grave. He scrapes food into her bowl and crawls back into darkness.

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A 50-word story written by Bruce Arbuckle, inspired by the Freewriters Writing Prompt on Hive, “knot in the stomach”

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Find me (as HumpbuckleTales ) on Mastodon

Read my daily 50 word stories every day here or on Hive or on Facebook

My Humpbuckle Tales are always published first on Hive

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Bruce Arbuckle (felt.buzz)

Siren, by Bruce Arbuckle

April 13, 2023 Bruce humpbuckletales dribble, fiction, fiftywordfiction, fiftywordstory, flash fiction, flashfiction, humpbuckletales, microfiction, seaside, short story, Stories, story, Tales, zapfic50

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When the vitriolic head clamour becomes too much to bear she slips out the back door, storms up the clifftop path and shouts into the wind, throwing her frustrations out to sea. She sings at ships. They never answer her siren call, but the voices quieten down, for a while.

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A 50-word story written by Bruce Arbuckle, inspired by the Freewriters Writing Prompt on Hive, “ocean travel”

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Find me (as HumpbuckleTales ) on Mastodon

Read my daily 50 word stories every day here or on Hive or on Facebook

My Humpbuckle Tales are always published first on Hive

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Bruce Arbuckle (felt.buzz)

Setbacks, by Bruce Arbuckle

April 12, 2023 Bruce humpbuckletales dribble, fiction, fiftywordfiction, fiftywordstory, flash fiction, flashfiction, humpbuckletales, microfiction, short story, Stories, story, Tales, zapfic50

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“Our new life begins tomorrow” , Bill says. “Promise.”

One set back after another. First their passports went missing. Then Bill had food poisoning. It was almost as if someone was telling them not to go. Claire waits for Bill to fall asleep, then sneaks outside and slashes their car tyres.

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A 50-word story written by Bruce Arbuckle, inspired by the Freewriters Writing Prompt on Hive, “tomorrow it would start”

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Find me (as HumpbuckleTales ) on Mastodon

Read my daily 50 word stories every day here or on Hive or on Facebook

My Humpbuckle Tales are always published first on Hive

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Bruce Arbuckle (felt.buzz)

Unfaithful, by Bruce Arbuckle

April 11, 2023 Bruce humpbuckletales dribble, fiction, fiftywordfiction, fiftywordstory, flashfiction, humpbuckletales, microfiction, short story, Stories, story, Tales, zapfic50

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As a kid, I was envious of her deceitfulness, surprised others couldn’t see through her lies. The little untruths she told were obvious to me. There was something in her tone of voice that gave her away.

Un I looked at them: my sister, my husband. And I saw the truth.

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A 50-word story written by Bruce Arbuckle, inspired by the Freewriters Writing Prompt on Hive, “her voice sounded odd”

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Find me (as HumpbuckleTales ) on Mastodon

Read my daily 50 word stories every day here or on Hive or on Facebook

My Humpbuckle Tales are always published first on Hive

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Bruce Arbuckle (felt.buzz)

The Alternatives, by Bruce Arbuckle

April 10, 2023April 10, 2023 Bruce humpbuckletales dribble, fiction, fiftywordfiction, fiftywordstory, flash fiction, flashfiction, humpbuckletales, microfiction, short story, Stories, story, Tales, zapfic50

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They met at the Morbid Responsibility Festival, the annual celebration of the 1980’s goth scene. In a sea of eyeliner, swept back hair, and flour dusted jackets, they alone were not dressed in black. He wore a bright pink tutu, and she an original 1990’s rave t-shirt.

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A 50-word story written by Bruce Arbuckle, inspired by the Freewriters Writing Prompt on Hive, “morbid responsibility”

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Find me (as HumpbuckleTales ) on Mastodon

Read my daily 50 word stories every day here or on Hive or on Facebook

My Humpbuckle Tales are always published first on Hive

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Bruce Arbuckle (felt.buzz)

Great Expectations, by Bruce Arbuckle

April 9, 2023 Bruce humpbuckletales dribble, fiction, fiftywordfiction, fiftywordstory, flash fiction, flashfiction, humpbuckletales, microfiction, short story, story, Tales, zapfic50

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What did he expect before he proposed live on national television ? Would she jump with joy, throw her arms around him, scream happily, cry (with joy, obviously), mouth the word “yes” , or just nod, speachless. He didn’t anticipate derisive laughter, or that she’d leave, spitting out the words “no way!”

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A 50-word story written by Bruce Arbuckle, inspired by the random word prompt, “reaction”

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Find me (as HumpbuckleTales ) on Mastodon

Read my daily 50 word stories every day here or on Hive or on Facebook

My Humpbuckle Tales are always published first on Hive

Find my 100 word tales on Drabble.Club

Bruce Arbuckle (felt.buzz)