February 13, 2023, prompt: Write a story about a smear of jam in 99 words (no more, no less). Is it across a slice of toast, a white shirt, or something unexpected? The jam could be the focus or detail that ads a twist. Who are the characters with the jam, and where are they situated in space and time? Go where the prompt leads!
All It Took – by Hugh W. Roberts
AI recommended the jam and put it on her shopping list.
Two days later, she spread a smear of the sticky jam on her toast and took little notice of the tiny handprint on the side of the jar.
Spitting out the toast’s remains, she drank a glass of water to eliminate the awful taste of the jam.
Moments later, she felt a strange sensation in her mouth, looked down and saw something moving in the jam.
In the instant before she craved human flesh, she knew the smear on the jar wasn’t a handprint; it was a warning.
Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.
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Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love ‘More Glimpses.’
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32 short stories and flash fiction pieces take the reader to the edge of their imagination.
More Glimpses
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I’ll have my toast plain with butter today. Great job, Hugh!
Glad you enjoyed it, Dan. Enjoy the plain toast.
Herein lies the warning, to ChatGPT or not to ChatGPT ;)
I’ll leave that question with you.
I’m gonna think twice before having toast in the morning, Hugh. Thanks…I think. I hope you have a great week.
Thankfully, I only eat toast on Saturday morning, Dan.
You, too, have a great week.
That’s a Hugh story. I don’t want any of that jam, thanks.
It’s all sold out, Norah. I don’t think we’ll ever see any more of it.
Never mind the jam; I think I will write about Marmite. Stay tuned.
That’s a great love it or hate it subject.
That was creepy!
I’m glad you think so.
Yumm, zombie jam! Good one, Hugh! I might eyeball my jam already in the fridge a little more closely! Wait, eww, eyeball :D
You got the zombie vibe from reading this piece of flash, Terri. Although the thought of finding an eyeball in a jar of jam is horror at
it’s best.
Gosh, Hugh, reading this after dinner … urgh. But it convinced me to leave my fingers from ChatGPT😅
I was going to use Google Assistant or a smartwatch, but given I’d just published a post about ChatGPT, it was perfect for me to use as a link to that post, Erika.
Oh, absolutely! Fantastic occasion!
Oh! Hugh that’s brilliantly scary 💜💜
Glad you thought so, Willow.
So no Chat Jam, hey? Luckily I’ve never been a jam person!
If only jam could chat to us. I’d love to know what it says while I spread it on my toast every Saturday morning.
A chilling story
I had a feeling that jam was not up to anything good!
Have you tried to let ChatGPT write a 99-word story about a smear of jam, Hugh? The result might be interesting.
Not as yet, Liesbet. I like to use my own imagination rather than the imagination of AI. Some people have tried writing fiction using ChatGPT, but they say the results were not realistic. Still, it has time to improve.
Oops. AI jam? Eating nanobots?
Who knows where AI and ChatGPT will take the human race.
You are the master of creepy stories. Well done!
Thank you, Darlene. Glad you enjoyed it.