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Flash Fiction – Red Or Yellow?

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Hugh W. Roberts

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January 2, 2024, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story using the colour red. It can be a descriptor, a setting, a character, or a metaphor. How far can you get in a story by expanding “red”? Go where the prompt leads!

Red Or Yellow? – by Hugh W. Roberts

Red walls? The time machine had red walls!

It also had a large red ‘inviting-to-touch’ button.

I could smell smoke and see flickers of flame before deciding whether to push the red button or the smaller yellow one. But that must have been my drunken imagination playing tricks again.

“Here goes!” I yelled as my hand with red-painted nails pushed the red button.

My eyeballs bulged when the time machine travelled down rather than up or sideways.

“You should have read the instruction book before pressing the red button,” cackled a horned being. “There’s no way back from Hell.”

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

***

Image of shades of red
Image Credit: Charli Mills

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

***

32 short stories and flash fiction pieces take readers to the edge of their imagination.

More Glimpses

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39 responses to “Flash Fiction – Red Or Yellow?”

  1. Carol anne avatar
    Carol anne

    After reading this I’m definitely gonna buy your book Hugh! X

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

      Thank you so much, Carol anne. I hope you enjoy it and that some of the stories do not scare you too much. It would be wonderful if you could leave a review on Amazon once you finished it.

      Thanks again.

      Reply
  2. Did You Miss Any Of These? Monthly Round-Up - January 2024 avatar
    Did You Miss Any Of These? Monthly Round-Up – January 2024

    […] Flash Fiction – Red Or Yellow? […]

    Reply
  3. Michael B. Fishman avatar
    Michael B. Fishman

    Yikes! As far as bad choices go, that one tops the cake. Now where did I put that manual for the new air fryer?

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

      It’s probably still in the box (if you still have it). Air fryers are not as bad as a trip to Hell, though.

      Reply
  4. Flash Fiction - The Time Traveller's Husband avatar
    Flash Fiction – The Time Traveller's Husband

    […] Flash Fiction – Red Or Yellow? […]

    Reply
  5. Dan Antion avatar
    Dan Antion

    Yikes. Nobody ever reads the manual. Then again, I’m sure that was on page 53.

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

      That’s what I always say, Dan. It’s got me out of a few corners.

      Reply
  6. dgkaye avatar
    dgkaye

    Yikes, me thinks you may have entered hell. :)

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

      He/she has. And there is no way back, not even in that time machine. Should have read the instruction manual.

      Reply
      1. dgkaye avatar
        dgkaye

        Always! :)

        Reply
  7. Eugi avatar
    Eugi

    Yikes! It’s always best to read the instructions, which I am guilty of not doing. I love your story and how you ended it.

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

      Yes, there is a lesson to be learned in this piece of flash about not reading the instruction manual, Eugi. From now on, I’ll be reading them, once I figured out how to get back from Hell, that is.

      Reply
      1. Eugi avatar
        Eugi

        Ha ha, good one, Hugh!

        Reply
  8. Brenda avatar
    Brenda

    Brilliant Hugh. Definitely not what I expected. I agree, though, there is definitely something beckoning about red – and as I think about it, maybe I need to change out of red now :)

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

      That sounds like a good idea, Brenda. After all, look what happened to Little Red Riding Hood. But in the words of the brilliant Billy Ocean, ‘red light spells danger…’n

      Reply
      1. Brenda avatar
        Brenda

        Lol … now I’m thinking I should wear a red dress tomorrow to send a message to the classes … those who still haven’t submitted work 😵😆

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

          That sounds like a great idea. I hope it worked.

          Reply
  9. wrookieschu avatar
    wrookieschu

    Eek always go for the yellow one!

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

      If you know where it will take you. My advice – always read the instruction manual first.

      Reply
      1. wrookieschu avatar
        wrookieschu

        Absolutely Hugh. We have a habit to rush into things with life being so busy. Best to slow down and read the manual.

        Reply
  10. tidalscribe.com avatar
    tidalscribe.com

    A big shock, very cleverly done in so few words.

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

      I’m glad you think so. I enjoy my ‘shocking; endings.

      Reply
      1. tidalscribe.com avatar
        tidalscribe.com

        Yes Hugh it’s always fun if you can give readers a surprise.

        Reply
  11. Liesbet @ Roaming About avatar
    Liesbet @ Roaming About

    Good one, Hugh. Sometimes those urges can be dangerous and cost you much! Happy Sunday!

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

      That’s true, Liesbet. The saying ‘Look before you leap’ comes to mind. Should have read the instruction manual for that red button first.

      Reply
  12. Colleen Chesebro avatar
    Colleen Chesebro

    What a fabulous story, Hugh! I love the revelation at the end. I also like how the time machine can travel in the four directions.

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

      I had Doctor Who and the TARDIS in mind when I wrote this piece of flash, Colleen. I can’t ever remember seeing the TARDIS travelling down. That got me thinking of what the Doctor would find if the TARDIS took him/her down rather than up or sideways.

      Reply
      1. Colleen Chesebro avatar
        Colleen Chesebro

        You have such a great imagination, Hugh. I did a flash story featuring red one time with the devil driving a red convertible. Red is such a good theme to work with.

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

          It is, isn’t it, Colleen? I wonder when it was that people first associated the colour ‘red’ as danger?

          Reply
  13. avatar
    Anonymous

    Oops 🫣 There’s a hell of a price to be paid for being too eager! 😉

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

      Look before one leaps comes to mind.

      Reply
  14. Paul Ariss avatar
    Paul Ariss

    You’d think a time machine would come with an helpful app these days. They certainly will in the future, but by the sounds of this story, you won’t be getting there anyway…

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

      Exactly, Paul. And where is your mobile phone or tablet when you need it the most? Boys and their toys, eh?

      Reply
  15. willowdot21 avatar
    willowdot21

    Oh! Dear Hugh you should of looked before you leaped !! 💜

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

      It wasn’t me, honest. It was the time machine. But maybe I should have read the instruction manual? But who reads those these day, Willow?

      Reply
      1. willowdot21 avatar
        willowdot21

        I do Hugh, I do …
        But it’s a gender thing women read manuals/ instructions men don’t 💜💜

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

          But what if I told you that the person in this piece of flash was a woman? Now you got me pondering. But I like pondering.

          Reply
          1. willowdot21 avatar
            willowdot21

            Well there is always the apception that make the rule isn’t there 💜💜

            Reply

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