Hugh's Views & News  

WordPress & Blogging tips, flash fiction, photography and lots more!

,

Flash Fiction Friday – If You Go Down To The Woods

Published by

Hugh W. Roberts

on

September 12, 2023, prompt: Write a story about the insect nation in 99 words (no more, no less). You can focus on a particular insect or all insects. Is your story one of acceptance and understanding? Scientific knowledge? Or apocalyptic horror? Get bugged and go where the prompt leads! See September 12: Story Challenge in 99 words for more details.

If You Go Down To The Woods – by Hugh W. Roberts

In the ancient woods, a spectral chill whispered through the leaves, carrying the wail of the Insect Nation’s forgotten souls.

Beetles, once known as sacred guardians, marched in supernatural processions. Fireflies, long extinguished, flickered like ghostly lanterns in the moonless night. Spiders wove threads of sorrow in their tattered webs, trapping echoes of their past.

But the creepy swarm of bluebottle flies sent shivers down the spine of all who trespassed. Their eerie hum was the insect kingdom’s tragic requiem, a reminder of their timeless dominion, unseen yet ever-present.

In the haunted woods, the Insect Nation’s phantoms reigned supreme.

Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.

Banner for the feature Flash Fiction Friday
Flash Fiction Friday

***

Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love ‘Glimpses.’

Image showing the book cover for Glimpses on a book, tablet and mobile phone
Glimpses

Glimpses

28 short stories and pieces of flash fiction take the reader on a rollercoaster of twists and turns.

Available on Amazon

Paperback – £4.99

Kindle – £0.99

***

Follow Hugh on his social media platforms by clicking the buttons below.

Subscribe to receive further updates from Hugh

Copyright @ 2024 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.

Discover more from Hugh’s Views & News  

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

26 responses to “Flash Fiction Friday – If You Go Down To The Woods”

  1. Carol anne avatar
    Carol anne

    Hi Hugh, a great piece of flash fiction here! I am going to buy your book! <3

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      Thank you so much, Carol anne. I hope you enjoy the stories in the book as much as you enjoyed this one here on my blog.

      Reply
  2. Michael B. Fishman avatar
    Michael B. Fishman

    Very atmospheric. You’ve convinced me to stay as far away from the Insect Nation as possible!

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      Lol, I think it’s the paranormal world of insects that we need to stay clear of.

      Reply
  3. Did You Miss Any Of These? Monthly Round-Up - September 2023 avatar
    Did You Miss Any Of These? Monthly Round-Up – September 2023

    […] Flash Fiction Friday – If You Go Down To The Woods […]

    Reply
  4. D. Avery @shiftnshake avatar
    D. Avery @shiftnshake

    Well done! I felt for all these insects and spiders, it seemed more sad than spooky to me, a eulogy for passed insects, but the flies remind us all of passing and garnered no sympathy with their ever present and annoying hum.

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      The moment that hum enters a room, I politely open all the windows, hoping that the hum will fly out. Of course, it rarely happens, so I often have to give some help.

      Thank you for the great feedback on this piece of flash. I do wonder if there is such a thing as a ghost insect.

      Reply
  5. Melissa Lemay avatar
    Melissa Lemay

    Spooky!

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      Thanks!

      Reply
  6. dgkaye avatar
    dgkaye

    An excellent capture of all the eeriness with rich descriptions. Well done Hugh. :)

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thanks, Debby.

      Reply
  7. JT Twissel avatar
    JT Twissel

    Timeless dominion – you are so right! I do love the woods but you have brilliantly captured the creepy side!

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      Thank you. They can be creepy places, even during daylight hours. It’s why I never walk alone in them.

      Reply
  8. TanGental avatar
    TanGental

    Delightfully unpleasant!

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      Thank you.

      Reply
  9. Colleen M. Chesebro avatar
    Colleen M. Chesebro

    Bugs… I get it. They are definitely not on my list as favorites. Great story, Hugh!

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      Mine, neither, Colleen. But we humans need bugs to be able to survive, especially the pollinators.

      Reply
      1. Colleen M. Chesebro avatar
        Colleen M. Chesebro

        That’s so true, Hugh. I thought about tending bees for awhile, but it was a hefty price to get started.

        Reply
        1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
          Hugh W. Roberts

          I would not be a fan of all those bees flying around me, Colleen. However, seeing bee hives is such a wonderful sight, and I hear the honey from them when they’re located near meadows is terrific tasting.

          Reply
          1. Colleen M. Chesebro avatar
            Colleen M. Chesebro

            You’re so right, Hugh. It was a passing fancy. The bee hives are glorious.

            Reply
  10. Noelle A. Granger avatar
    Noelle A. Granger

    I am so allergic to wasp and bee stings, but I do love insects – their variety (endless), colors, and industriousness. There are 200 million of them for each of us! I’ll leave them in peace!

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      I think that’s the best thing humans can do for insects – leave them in peace. But, sometimes, they can be annoying, especially wasps, when they won’t leave you alone.

      Reply
      1. Noelle A. Granger avatar
        Noelle A. Granger

        Yup – those I swat.

        Reply
  11. Erika avatar
    Erika

    Oh, I hope I never accidentally enter such a forest 😱 Although, it seems I live right next to one when I think of the flies at times 😂

    Reply
    1. Hugh W. Roberts avatar
      Hugh W. Roberts

      Flies appear everywhere, don’t they? But it’s the wasps that get me. It does not matter where I go and sit; you can guarantee they find me.

      Reply
      1. Erika avatar
        Erika

        Yes, when it comes to flies you are never lonely… Really? You must taste very sweet 😄

        Reply

Leave a reply to JT Twissel Cancel reply

Hello,

I’m Hugh

Welcome to my blog. I’m delighted to have you here. This is the place to discover tips on blogging and WordPress, flash fiction, photography, and more. I enjoy engaging with my readers, so please feel free to explore, join discussions, and contact me. I’m happy to assist! Find out more about me and my blog by clicking the ‘Meet Hugh’ button.

Let’s connect

Latest posts

Subscribe to Hugh’s Views And News

Latest Posts

Looking for your next quick read? Try my books

An image of book covers, book, tablet and mobile phone, for the book Glimpses.
An image for the book More Glimpses - showing a book cover, tablet and mobile phone.

Follow Hugh in the Fediverse

Hugh's Views & News  
Hugh's Views & News  
@hughsviewsandnews.com@hughsviewsandnews.com

WordPress & Blogging tips, flash fiction, photography and lots more!

301 posts
6 followers
A widget with the words 'Team Effort - Story Chat Digest - Where Authors Meet - Author'

Recommend Blogs To Follow

Boomer Eco Crusader
Boomer Eco Crusader
Live Green | Declutter | Simplify Life
Jacqueline Lambert
Jacqueline Lambert
Award-Winning Travel Humour Writer
Spo-Reflections
Spo-Reflections
To live is to battle with trolls in the vaults of heart and brain. To write; this is to sit in judgment over one's Self. Henrik Ibsen
Anne R. Allen’s Blog… with Ruth Harris
Writing about writing. Mostly.
Fancying France
The musings of a ‘femme d’un certain âge’ who divides her time between SW France and SE England
SONGS AND SCRIPTS AND DUNKING BISCUITS
Every day tales of a winging-it creative
Marsha Ingrao Always Write
Marsha Ingrao Always Write
Having fun blogging with friends
Curiosities, Castles and Coffee Shops
Curiosities, Castles and Coffee Shops
The musings of a curious mind
WrookieSchU
WrookieSchU
Live life 🙌🏼
WPcomMaven
WPcomMaven
Helping you make the most of your free WordPress.com website since 2011
Second Wind Leisure Perspectives
Second Wind Leisure Perspectives
Fun, Photography & Friends
Share Your Light
Share Your Light
You are a miracle – Let it happen
No Facilities
No Facilities
Random thoughts, life lessons, hopes and dreams
Esther Chilton
Writer, Tutor and Editor
Roaming About
A Life Less Ordinary
Saying nothing in particular
Saying nothing in particular
Jan … JT Twissel
The Chicago Files
The Chicago Files
A Canadian Perspective on Living in the Windy City!

Thank you to all my visitors

471,656 hits

254,574 visitors

Most Viewed Posts & Pages Over The Last 24 Hours

You're Not Stuck: The Surprising Power Of Finally Changing Your Blog ThemeYou're Not Stuck: The Surprising Power Of Finally Changing Your Blog ThemeApr 20, 2026Hugh W. Roberts
Meet Hugh - Updated April 2026Meet Hugh – Updated April 2026Aug 12, 2022Hugh W. Roberts
True Stories: Gay Memories - Going To A Gay Bar For The First Time #LGBTQI #LGBTTrue Stories: Gay Memories – Going To A Gay Bar For The First Time #LGBTQI #LGBTJan 17, 2022Hugh W. Roberts
What Kind Of Comments Are The Best To Leave On Blog Posts?What Kind Of Comments Are The Best To Leave On Blog Posts?Sep 4, 2023Hugh W. Roberts
True Stories: Gay Memories - The Day My Life Changed #LGBTQI #LGBTTrue Stories: Gay Memories – The Day My Life Changed #LGBTQI #LGBTOct 1, 2020Hugh W. Roberts

Copyright Protected Blog


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

COPYRIGHT ©2011-2031 Hugh’s Views And News BLOG – All Rights Reserved.

This work by Hugh W. Roberts, and/or Hugh’s Views And News blog, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material (text and images) without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. If you want to use posts, excerpts, photos and links, you may contact me first. You must give full and clear credit to Hugh W. Roberts and Hugh’s Views And News dot com with links to the original content.