81 Words Flash Fiction Writing Challenge – Stories Page 7

81words / 81 Words logo

An attempt to set a World Record for the most contributing authors published in an anthology

Full details about the 81 word writing challenge and the world record attempt can be found on the main 81words writing challenge page.

81 Word Stories – 601 to 700

Most of the seventh collection of 100 stories (stories 601 to 700) received via the 81 words writing challenge was removed from this website on 28th May 2021. I have left all the contributing author names on this page – you can see a list below.

I have also left a few of the stories on the page for you to enjoy. I hope they will encourage you to purchase the anthology 🙂 Every book sold generates money for a very worthy charitable cause.

You can learn more about the 81 Words Flash Fiction Anthology here. The book was published by Victorina Press.

Story 601:

THE RIGHT INGREDIENT

by Kent Raddatz

"Life isn't all pop tarts and gravy, ya know."

As he imagined that horrible combination of flavours in his mouth, she went on.

"Sometimes you need some spice to make the magic."

"I just wanted to know if I should ask her out."

"I know what you wanted."

"Well then, is she the pop tart or the gravy? Please don't say both."

"She's the spice."

"So I'm like gravy – boring?"

"Call her."

He shrugged. He called. And nothing was tasteless again.

Story 644:

BLUEBELLS

by Susan Wickham

The police car stopped. She stumbled out into the vast blueness. It overwhelmed her and the tears fell. It wasn't the cruelness that she had suffered all these months that finally broke her down, it was the compassion.

They had found him and then her. She had been in his flat all this time. She just wanted to wallow in the fragrance, the wonder of the bluebells. The colour reminded her of her mother's eyes. She was free. She could smell.

Story 655:

KEY, KEY RING AND FREEDOM

by Roshna Rusiniya

The bedroom door opened with a squeak, much to Lyla's chagrin. Her husband's snores were still loud, resembling the growling of a predatory animal. She lifted the suitcase with her uninjured hand and glanced around the room, brightly smiling at the sight of overflowing laundry and dirty plates.

She stepped out into the warm night and pulled the hoodie of the jacket down, so her bruised cheeks were hidden. The key in her hand glowed, free from the key ring, finally.

Story 670:

GROWING UP

by Valerie J Shay

Diane's life was never the same after she pulled the trigger. For three years, she tried to forget that night, tried to bury it in the recesses of her memory. She refused to talk about it. She forced herself to pretend it never happened. Diane loved Jeffrey, but she loved her freedom, her sanity and her friends even more.

Jeffrey needed to go. She'd outgrown him. He no longer served his purpose. Mother was right, imaginary friends are not real. Mostly.

Story 678:

FOR THE LOVE OF A GHOST

by Veena Rah

"You did this to me," she whispers, fidgeting.

I knew this, of course. I was selfish and weak. I left.

I trace the path of her tear with my finger. Almost imperceptibly, she shudders.

She'll be angry with me forever, but it won't matter, she'll be with me again.

"Don't worry, dear. It won't hurt," I lie as she tilts her head back and throws a handful of those little pills down her throat. "Trust me."

She'll be with me again.

Story 685:

JUST 81 WORDS

by Thomas O'Mara

So good to be accurate, neat and precise,

My writing a passioned, explicit device.

Apt comments found where there are phrases to spare,

Hurtling and flowing with dashes of flare.

Take care with the counting; take care not to fail,

Just 81 words must my story entail.

A word hurtle train, all engine and coaches,

My work gallops on as the ending approaches.

Some final adjustments, some last minute changes,

I'm just about there by the seat of my breaches.

The—

Story 689:

DINNER AND A MOVIE…

by Lumen Ros

"Would you like dinner out tonight, dear?"

"Let's eat in."

"Sure. Italian?"

"We've had that three times this week. How about Moroccan?"

"Excellent suggestion. I'll pick it up. Let's catch a movie after."

As I finished getting dressed, the front door opened.

"I'm back, love."

I was so hungry, I flew down the steps.

There he stood, dinner in hand. After 500 years, the gleam in his fangs still sent a jolt of lust to my carotid.

"Darling, this is Nadia."

Story 700:

THE BOOK

by Don Bartlome

I stood beside the desk, looking down at an ancient book I'd been seeing for fifty years, with gold lettering no one could translate.

Even with the threat of punishment, the book was comfortable in my withered hands, like a long lost lover. I opened the book, feeling its warmth on my palm.

"Billy," Mother shrieked. "Leave it. You're only ten years old." I looked into the mirror behind the desk and saw myself; a young boy with small soft hands.

81 Words Flash Fiction Writing Challenge – Seventh 100 Contributing Author Names

Here is a list of the seventh pen of 100 contributing authors, listed in the order their stories appear in the book:

  1. Kent Raddatz
  2. Annika Franke
  3. Andy Langdale
  4. Reha Tanör
  5. Lynn Morcombe
  6. Judy Reeves
  7. Maggie Elliott
  8. Lorna Stewart
  9. Katherine Kogoy
  10. Ava Groth
  11. Alan Ridley
  12. Marilyn Rucker
  13. Claire Gee
  14. Sagar Jadhav
  15. Peter Stanton
  16. Cathi Radner
  17. Natalie Wu
  18. R.A. Krueger
  19. Gail Everett
  20. Kenneth Cahall
  21. Vivienne O'Boyle
  22. Linda Foy
  23. Tiffany Williams
  24. Lynn Zeleski
  25. Heather Stuart Primbs
  26. Rafe Bellers
  27. Jessica Bowden
  28. David John Griffin
  29. Brinkinfield
  30. Micky Rowe
  31. Stephen P. Thompson
  32. Raymond E. Strawn III
  33. Ashley Vohrer
  34. Kaitlin Ellis
  35. Dinesh Shihantha De Silva
  36. Adele Evershed
  37. Parzival Sattva
  38. Sarthak Das
  39. Richard Freeman
  40. Ginger Marcinkowski
  41. Charles Bonkowsky
  42. Sarah Jae Walsh
  43. Natalia Wojcik-Smith
  44. Susan Wickham
  45. Sai Muthukumar
  46. S.E. Taylor
  47. Barbara Eustace
  48. Joyce Bingham
  49. Michelle Compton
  50. Christine Tapper
  51. Hajra Saeed
  52. Alice Hale
  53. Linda Lewis
  54. Scott Parent
  55. Roshna Rusiniya
  56. Paulette Pierre
  57. Toni Peers
  58. John Lane
  59. Susan Howarth
  60. Yabo Anderson
  61. Toni G.
  62. NT Franklin
  63. Adam Down
  64. Bec Lewis
  65. Anastasia Mosher
  66. Charlotte Farrell-Banks
  67. Mary Daurio
  68. Evelyn Hawke
  69. Karen Walker
  70. Valerie J Shay
  71. Austrian Spencer
  72. Denise Senecal
  73. L.E. Daurio
  74. CJ Wigg
  75. Wayne B. Chorney
  76. Em Daurio
  77. Umme Ammarah
  78. Veena Rah
  79. Francisca Staines
  80. Kavitha Yarlagadda
  81. Frank Daurio
  82. Michelle Cook
  83. Jayne Morgan
  84. Jaycee Durand
  85. Thomas O'Mara
  86. Bernard Muslin
  87. Frances Tate
  88. Lauren J. Phillips
  89. Lumen Ros
  90. N.B. Craven
  91. Taylor Elliott
  92. Elliot Cambrey
  93. Jason Barbo
  94. Tony Mooney
  95. Mark Stocker
  96. Margaret Davis
  97. Ashley Scott
  98. Emma Wilson
  99. Mary Dharsi
  100. Don Bartlome

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *