Friday, January 28, 2011

Flash Fiction Fridays


Note: This flash fiction piece was inspired by a dream I had.



Midtown Horror

The traffic backed up so suddenly, I had to slam upon the brakes. Phew! I just missed crunching into this guy's bumper. I breathed a sigh of relief, but what had traffic at a standstill?

I searched the other lane. They seemed as stuck as we were. Then, my eyes gazed to downtown. Oh, no!

Thick smoke plumed from the top of the tallest building in the city. My first thought went to another 9/11, and I searched the skies for falling airplanes. Fear flowed through my veins. I wanted out of here.

The blue skies mocked me, and I squinted into the sun. I didn't see anything from up above, and I was going to be late to work. Would it matter? Was this another attack? My breath tightened in my chest. I put the car into park and rolled down the window.

The acrid scent wrinkled my nose. Several people were getting out of their cars and stared at the terrifying scene. From this distance, a crunching sound vibrated the road.

A chunk of building flew through the air and landed upon a truck up ahead of me.

We screamed.

Unfastening my seatbelt, I grabbed my purse and my cell phone. Then, I turned off the car engine, pulled the keys with me, and left my Honda Accord. People ran towards me. They were fleeing, but I didn't know why.

I dialed.

Nine-

Debris floated through the air, and the building on fire creaked.

One-

A hand, the width of the building, appeared.

One.

The busy signal echoed through my head.

Boom!

The giant tore another section off and threw it at the cars on the highway.

I screamed again, dropping the phone. It didn't matter. 9-1-1 was busy.

Perhaps it would've been better if this had been a normal attack. Bombs, falling planes, I could handle. Giants, not as much.

His head appeared, and he head-butted the building. It leaned and fell towards us.

I ran with the others like mice fleeing the cat.

Sirens wailed; car horns shrieked.

Crash! Boom! Bang!

The entire highway shuddered and then rolled like a wave.

I was flying.

I was crashing.

I was nothing.

11 comments:

Hannah said...

Dude! Giants! I love it.

Cherie Reich said...

Thanks, Hannah! It was one crazy dream to, the kind you know you have to write something about it. :D

Demitria said...

This is great...I often get ideas for fiction from my dreams. It's cool to know other people do too.

demitrialunetta.blogspot.com

Terri Talley Venters said...

Bet you felt glad when you woke up to learn it was all a bad dream. My scariest story idea came from a bad dream too!

As always, I love stopping by on Fridays to read your stories!

Cherie Reich said...

Thanks, Demitria! I love getting ideas from dreams, but it's always nice to find out that other people do too.

And, Terri, it was quite a dream, but I love that horror stuff. *laughs* Thanks for stopping by!

Nicole Zoltack said...

Sounds like you have dreams like mine. When I have those kind of dreams, I just have to take them and write them into stories or novels.

Cherie Reich said...

Nicole - Yeah, those are the best types of dreams for inspiration. :)

Lydia Kang said...

It would be over so fast, like you wrote, it there were giants. Great piece!

Cherie Reich said...

Thanks, Lydia! And, I completely agree. A couple stomps here and throwing buildings around from giants, and we wouldn't stand a chance.

Stephanie Faris said...

Wow. Very vivid. Good job!!!

Cherie Reich said...

Thanks, Stephanie!