Monday, July 19, 2010

FFF #36 - 2nd try - Dreams Do Come True - 250 Words

Friday Flash Fiction's starter sentence this week was "writer's choice".  I chose a big bite by claiming I would write a story using all 3 starter sentences.  What follows is effort 2 using  Sue's sentence , "You know that feeling when you wake up sweating and think 'thank goodness it was only a dream'?"
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Dreams Do Come True

You know that feeling when you wake up sweating and think “thank goodness it was only a dream”? Running dreams do it for me. Dark hulking figures chasing me down ancient cobbled alleys or through and under gruesome trees wearing Spanish moss under the full Moon. I hear footsteps behind me. My breath is labored and …………………….

Seems all of us have a couple of dark dream sequences we repeat from time to time. Only this time I wake up sweating and my hopes are dashed. The Moon is indeed above my head and dancing in the dark wind, Spanish moss moves to its dark rhythm.

A twig snaps. I turn to face the sound. Behind me another twig snaps. Every sense jerks into overdrive. The sweat, that breath I can not catch is not from a dream. This is no virtual world of my own making. There are hulking dark figures out there. And they want me.

I remember now. My previous hours play back through my mind. A fight, much blood and……………………………….I look down to my shirt. It is torn, tattered and covered with, ….yes, it’s blood alright.

Kneeling now, I peek around the tree I woke up under. Some brush rustles to my left and I turn. Coming towards me are two hulking figures. Throwing my back against the tree again I open my mouth to scream……………… A light blinds me.

“Over here........... Bring the buggy. Dude’s all cut up.”

“Well, at least this one’s still alive.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A big thanks to Cormac for keeping this flame rolling while I took my mini sabbatical to face the real challenges out here in the physical world.

6 comments:

muddleglum said...

I'm a bit disappointed, sir,

I was sure you would write A story, as in singular, with ALL three starter sentences in it. Sorta like this.
--0--0--
You know that feeling when you wake up sweating and think, "thank goodness it was only a dream"? Well, last night, after eating a slice too much of my fiancée's pepperoni pizza with jalopeno peppers, I relaxed for a few moments on the living room recliner, then, feeling tense, took a short walk to settle my stomach. In the distance I saw all kinds of birds circling over something, but I couldn't tell what from where I was. I decided I should check, in case it was a one of my animals. I took off in a jog, my belly protesting that it was already working too hard.

Coming to a sagging fence at the edge of a steep gully, I noticed settling buzzards jerk back into the air currents as if angrily protesting my proximity. Looking at it from their point of view, then yeah, I would be pissed also, I thought, as I looked down at their potential feast, a dead calf and its momma, still feebly struggling. I started down to put the cow out of its misery but, as I swung over the side, I tripped and fell, sliding down on my stomach as the sharp rocks knifed into my gut, spilling its contents into the open air while a buzzard ripped into my shoulders with its talons.

The dream ended with me screaming, "filthy buzzard!" in my fiancées face as, too late, the claws became her gentle hands.

Then, the nightmare began.

--0--0--
Sorry, just couldn't resist. Hope you do well and please tell me if this is out of line.

MRMacrum said...

Out of line? This ain't the DMV. Be my guest. Everyone has a tale in them and I do appreciate you sharing yours. Good usage of all three sentences.

The challenge this week was to use them as "starter" sentences. So I kinda followed directions and used each as a starter for it's own storyline or whatever the first one was.

BBC said...

The only dream I ever had that I thought was worth a crap sure seems to be becoming true, and that actually kind of sucks.

SueH said...

MRM - am impressed - three stories!

So was he being rescued or hunted? - could go either way, thereby probaby hangs yet another tale!

Randal Graves said...

"I'm not dead yet."
"Yes you are."

If that black comedy was played without the comedy.

Anonymous said...

Very Intense! I really enjoyed this little flash, I'm dying to know more of the story though.

Sorry it's taken me a little while to make it over to read this.