Short Stories – Page 5 – Hugh's Views & News

Flash Fiction Friday – Messages From Above

Published on Jul 7, 2023Jul 7, 2023 by Hugh W. Roberts12 Comments

July 4, 2023, prompt: Write a story as a message from a feather in 99 words (no more, no less). Think about how the message is shared and from whom to whom. What kind of feather? How can you expand where feathers come from, like boas and down ski jackets? Whatever tickles your muse this week. Go where the prompt leads! See July 4: Story Challenge in 99-words for more details.

Messages From Above – by Hugh W. Roberts

A lone feather quivered in the attic’s cobwebbed corners, bearing a harrowing message from the netherworld.

It spoke of a cursed talisman begrudged by an evil spirit who craved mortal souls.

Its whispers echoed through the air at night, driving those who lived below to hear scratching sounds they were too afraid to complain about.

The more the victim put off grumbling, the more the lone feather transformed into a shadowy figure, hunting its next prey.

It warned all who dared hear its message; once entangled, escape was futile.

And those who contemplated complaining would die upon seeing it.

Read the last part of the story here.

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

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

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Flash Fiction Friday – An Unexpected Response

Published on Jun 30, 2023Jun 30, 2023 by Hugh W. Roberts33 Comments

June 27, 2023, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story responding to “We’ve received your complaint.” Who has received the complaint and why? How was the complaint delivered — with grace, humour, vitriol? Go where the prompt leads! See June 27: Story Challenge in 99-words for more details.

An Unexpected Response – by Hugh W. Roberts

“We’ve received your complaint,” the email whispered through the screen.

Sarah’s blood ran cold. How did they know? She had never told a soul about the scratching sounds that echoed from her attic at night.

The email continued, “We apologise for the disturbance caused by our spectral resident. Rest assured; our exorcist team will investigate the paranormal activity.”

Dread clutched Sarah’s heart. She’d never have expected a reply, let alone a promise to banish the unseen entity.

The attic door creaked open as she stared at her inbox, revealing a shadowy figure.

Her complaint had caught the ghost’s attention.

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 ‘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.

If you enjoyed this post and want more like it, click the ‘Subscribe’ button to stay up-to-date with my latest content.

Flash Fiction Friday – What Lays Beneath

Published on Jun 23, 2023Nov 29, 2025 by Hugh W. Roberts28 Comments

June 20, 2023, prompt: Write a story about grains of sand in 99 words (no more, no less). Where are these grains, and what importance do they hold? How many ways can you think of using sand? Who interacts with the sand and why? Go where the prompt leads! See June 20: Story Challenge in 99-words for more details.

What Lays Beneath – by Hugh W. Roberts

On the secluded beach, grains of sand held a horrifying secret.

As twilight embraced the shoreline, their malevolence awakened. Slightly serrated edges transformed into razor-sharp teeth, hungry for flesh.

Unseen to the unsuspecting visitors, they slithered beneath the surface.

With a sinister intelligence, they devised a plan. Swiftly, they surged, entangling ankles in a web of gritty terror. Screams of agony filled the air as victims got dragged below, devoured by the insatiable maw of the sand.

Panic swept the beach, but the grains, now stained red, revelled in their newfound power, forever cursed to prey upon the unwary.

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.’

***

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

More Glimpses

Available on Amazon

Paperback – £4.99

Kindle – £0.99

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

Flash Fiction Friday – The Fatherhood War

Published on Jun 16, 2023Nov 29, 2025 by Hugh W. Roberts9 Comments

June 13, 2023, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about fathers in general or a specific father. You can use different names — Papa, Daddy, Fabio. What is significant about a father? Write a homage, rant, comedy, tragedy, or anything in between. Go where the prompt leads! See ‘June 13: Story Challenge in 99-words‘ for more details.

The Fatherhood War – by Hugh W. Roberts

In a whirlwind of chaos, a father attempted to conquer the art of nappy changing.

Armed with wipes and a nappy that seemed to defy logic, he engaged in an epic battle against a giggling, wiggling baby. Hilariously mismatched socks were his battle armour, and a superhero cape decked his shoulders.

As he bravely dodged tiny feet, the father’s face turned into comical distortions. With a triumphant cry, he emerged victorious, the nappy expertly secured.

But, alas, victory was short-lived, for a naughty giggle signalled an incoming surprise attack. In the war of fatherhood, laughter was the ultimate weapon.

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 ‘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.

Flash Fiction Friday – Moving In

Published on Jun 2, 2023Jun 1, 2023 by Hugh W. Roberts52 Comments

“As you’re an author and writer, I thought this would be the perfect new home for you, Mr Roberts.”

“Oh, I already love it. How old is it? Of course, I’ll need to see the inside, but I like what I already see.”

“It’s over 100 years old. The seller has instructed me to accept any offers just below the asking price. If you make an offer today, I’ll take it off the market.”

“Perfect. Living here will give me so much inspiration and new ideas for my next novel.”

***

Twenty-four hours later.

“Sign here, Mr Roberts. All being well, you’ll be in tomorrow. The current resident has already left. She was delighted when I told her you were the buyer.”

“Wonderful. I can’t wait to use that huge, dark study in the attic. I wonder how long before I have my first visitors?”

***

It was only a short time before I had my first visitors.

A family of four – the two children under six couldn’t see or hear me as I watched them unpack boxes.

The ‘Hauntings’ Estate agents had come up trumps in finding me my next place to haunt.

Photo of an old abandoned house that looks haunted. — Moving In

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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

Available on Amazon

Paperback – £4.99

Kindle – £0.99

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Flash Fiction Friday – Five Minutes

Published on May 26, 2023May 26, 2023 by Hugh W. Roberts31 Comments

This week’s flash fiction has an adult theme.

If I’d not taken five minutes, my eleven-year-old son Billy would now be dead.

It could have been so different if I had not decided to do what I promised myself for the last five years. Just five minutes, that’s all it took.

The world of technology had taken over my life. Like most of humanity, I had my head buried in a screen. Morning, noon and night, I couldn’t resist it.

I was missing out if I wasn’t checking my social media accounts or email every five minutes. I was missing out on a new world! A new world that just five minutes could change.

The distant sound of crying coming from Billy’s bedroom forced me to bring my head up from the screen of my iPad. Why was he awake and sobbing at this ungodly hour?

When the familiar sound of a ‘ping’ came from my iPad, I could feel myself being pulled into the online world again. I’d made the mistake of looking down and seeing the notification on the screen telling me that Rachel was online.

Aroused by the thought of Rachel, my finger hovered over the Skype button, where I could instantly connect with her, while my ears picked up the sobbing coming from Billy’s room.

What should I do? Check on Billy, or find out if Rachel wore that sexy nurses’ uniform.

Thank goodness I chose to take those five minutes wisely.

If I hadn’t used them to check in on Billy, I’d never have discovered he’d been contemplating suicide. Not only had the death of his mother, five years earlier, taken him to the edge of a cliff, but my new online world and the neglect it had forced upon him had also taken him there.

The self-harm images he’d been looking at online were worlds apart from those I’d watched when Rachel was online. Ready to blackmail me, she’d had the camera ready to record me that night.

Not only had those five minutes saved my son’s life, but they’d also saved mine.

Photo of an old broken clock on a building — Five minutes.

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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

Available on Amazon

Paperback – £4.99

Kindle – £0.99

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Flash Fiction Friday – What You Can’t See

Published on May 19, 2023May 19, 2023 by Hugh W. Roberts30 Comments

May 9, 2023, prompt: Write a story about two who can keep a secret in 99 words (no more, no less). Is the secret between them, or is one keeping a secret from the other. Who are they? What remains unknown? What is revealed? Go where the prompt leads! See May 9: Story Challenge in 99-words for more details.

What You Can’t See – by Hugh W. Roberts

Jake and Scott found solace within their secret haven in a world of stifling judgment.

Their hearts intertwined; they danced through life’s labyrinth, concealing their secret love from prying eyes.

Behind closed doors, their passion ignited like wildfire, unapologetic and genuine.

Their whispered affections became a sacred symphony known only to them.

Society’s chains threatened them, but they held firm, protecting their secret.

Side by side, they painted rainbows of resilience, unyielding in their love’s brilliance.

Together, they vowed to endure, guarding their secret with unbreakable devotion, knowing their love was a beacon in a world longing for acceptance.

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

Last week’s entries with the theme ‘High Water’ can be found by clicking this link.

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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

Available on Amazon

Paperback – £4.99

Kindle – £0.99

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

If you enjoyed this post and want more like it, click the ‘Subscribe’ button to stay up-to-date with my latest content.

Flash Fiction Friday – H2O

Published on May 12, 2023May 12, 2023 by Hugh W. Roberts49 Comments

“They’re just rocks. Most of the planets we’ve visited have them.”

“I know, but I’m sure one has moved since we arrived here.”

“But rocks can’t move on their own. Something or someone must have moved it. The ship’s instruments did pick up a small tremor last night.”

Miles bent down while pointing towards the ground to the right of the first rock.

“Looks like something either pushed or pulled this one. If the ship’s camera had been working, I’d have proof that this rock is nearer the ship than it was yesterday. What’s taking mission control so long to figure out what’s caused the camera to fail?”

Shaking her head, Hilary bent down beside Miles and examined the ground.

“It must be alive,” cautioned Miles. “These marks on the ground clearly show it has moved. Yet there’s no evidence that someone or something has moved it. I thought you said there was no evidence of life on this planet, Hilary. Without any signs of H2O, you said nothing could survive here.”

Consisting of at least 50% of water, the human visitors had no chance when the rock struck. Not even their spacesuits helped protect them.

The dusty, dry planet became alive again as the other rocks slid slowly towards the bodies to feast on the liquid nectar they needed to survive.

While decomposing flesh helped plant life grow and spread instantly, the sound of a click from the ship’s repaired camera finally returned the first image of a beautiful, welcoming new world where humans could exist.

Photo of a rocky terrain with greenery, plants and mountains in the background — Beware: Not everything is what it seems to be.

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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

Available on Amazon

Paperback – £4.99

Kindle – £0.99

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

Want more posts like this? Enter your email address and click Subscribe.

Flash Fiction Friday – In Heaven And Hell

Published on May 5, 2023Nov 29, 2025 by Hugh W. Roberts31 Comments

May 1, 2023, prompt: Write a story about high water in 99 words (no more, no less). Hell can be involved or not. Is high water a new drink? A crisis in nature or the basement? Get in the flow. Go where the prompt leads! Check May 1: Story Challenge in 99-words for more details.

In Heaven And Hell – by Hugh W. Roberts

Amid the chaos of the rising floodwaters, Anne and Fiona found themselves stranded on a rooftop.

They’d been strangers before, but now they clung to each other for survival.

As the water crept closer, they discussed their lives and dreams, finding unexpected commonalities. They shared stories of heartbreak and triumph. It wasn’t long before they silently fell in love with each other.

They spent the night on the rooftop, holding each other tightly as the water raged below.

When the rescue boats arrived, they stepped into a new world, hand in hand, ready to face whatever came their way.

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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 ‘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.

Flash Fiction Friday – Where There Is Hope

Published on Apr 28, 2023Nov 29, 2025 by Hugh W. Roberts31 Comments

April 24, 2023, prompt: Write a story about the colour of hope in 99 words (no more, no less). Who needs hope, and why? How can you use colour to shape the story? Pick a colour, any colour. Go where the prompt leads! See April 24: Story Challenge in 99-words for more details.

Where There Is Hope – by Hugh W. Roberts

As the Pride Parade approached, the city streets were awash with every rainbow colour. But for Tim, a young, closeted bisexual man, only one colour truly embodied the spirit of hope – Green. It was the colour of his first love’s eyes and the hope he carried for a world that accepted and celebrated all identities.

As he watched the march, he knew he was not alone. Many diversities watched the parade while waving rainbow flags. Together, they would fight for a future where every colour of love was accepted.

Hope always won over the hatred for being different.

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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