Here is a list of all the authors flashing this week, along with a brief snippet from their latest free work. Click the link after the snippet to be taken to the complete story on the author’s home page.
To Be Determined: Part 2 by Johayan
I looked nervously at Rowdy. What about your project? You could get so much done.
I knew what I should answer but then I realized that Rowdy was standing there in his boxers. Not naked, but in his boxers. Either he slept with them on or put them on during the night. Hmm.
I found myself looking down, taking in the shapely farm boy body that the clothes had hidden from view last night. He was shorter than I remember, but his boots probably added 3” to his height. He looked better built with his clothes off
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Innocence & Carnality: Part 10 by Mann Ramblings
Drifting through the night sky from a vantage point I never imagined, the propellors were quieter than I’d expected. The chilled breeze caught my hair as I strained to see the darkened terrain in the distance. A stood at the bow with Harston at my side, unmoving after the sun disappeared.
“I assume your silence all day means you’re unhappy.”
I turned to find my husband. He seemed annoyed, which was understandable; I’d blatantly ignored him for most of the day. In the end, I didn’t care, because I had good cause.
“Harston, I’d like a private word with my husband.”
“Will, Teddy saw something he can’t unsee. I don’t think it’s safe to look for the bones of the ghost right now.” I sponged Teddy’s forehead with my damp handkerchief, but he still wasn’t responding.
“I think he just needs to get home and rest.” I rubbed Teddy’s back, urging him to step forward. The hair on my arms stood up
Yuki-omba by Sarah Lynn Hayes
As the sun rose and created a glaze of sharp, cold light across the ice-covered hills of the countryside, so Yuki-omba rose with the sun and prepared for the day ahead. For the thousandth time, she washed her face in the stream, weaved a new kimono out of the snow for her to wear—as stark white and crisp as the snow bank it was born from—and brushed a flower across her lips until the crushed petals turned them blue.
She climbed over the low-lying hills that covered the countryside, gliding over the crust of ice and frost as if her feet did not touch the ground at all. No arctic wind, no blast of chill could slow her descent through the rolling expanse of trees, all bare limbs and sparkling with frozen ornaments from the previous night.
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Evans Woodworking: Chapter 16 by Jim Dunaway
“Hey,” he said soothingly, “there’s no doubt in my mind that you did everything you could. No harm, no foul.”
“No harm no foul?” She queried.
“One of Ethan’s archaic expressions. He loves them. Basically it means ‘don’t worry about it’. So I’m guessing at this point we don’t have any other options than the hospital. I forgot to mention it earlier but it looks like he’s lost a lot of weight.
“I think so as well. I’ll call for an ambulance and while we’re waiting for it, I’ll call the hospital an make arrangements for a private room.”
“You don’t need to call an ambulance . I’ll drive him.”
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Rose and Thorne #3 (1.3) by Julie Lynn Hayes
… and the next moment he lay face-down in the grass, a booted foot planted firmly on his thick neck.
“As the lady was saying, you do have the right to remain silent, and I suggest you follow that particular piece of advice, asshole.” Ethan turned his handsome face toward me and winked.
I’m not a lady, I started to protest, but the words never reached my lips.
The guy raised his head, spitting out blades of grass. “That’s no lady—” he managed to choke out.
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Cade and Sherry were throwing bread to the ducks on the pond when Cade heard his name being called. He turned to find elder Darrin approaching and after asking Sherry to stay put he moved to meet the man.
“I was told you were looking for me,” Darrin stated when Cade was within hearing distance,
“Yep,” Cade answered, he kept his tone deliberately casual. “Let’s move over here. I need to be in sight of Sherry, but she doesn’t need to hear the conversation.”
When they’d settled on a nearby bench Cade continued speaking without taking his gaze off Sherry.
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Wednesday Briefs 