This is the first of two entries into this week’s Friday Fictioneers flash fiction challenge, run by Rochelle Wiseoff-Fields. This week’s picture prompt was provided by Georgia Koch. The challenge is to write a story within 100 words.
Hunted
Genre: fantasy
Mikael stumbled from bridge to river bank, weaving energy threads to mask his passage. There was the promised boat – something was finally going right! Clambering on board, he untied the mooring ropes and pushed the ramshackle vessel out. A wave of dizziness forced him to his knees as he began to drift downstream and he pressed an unsteady hand to his side, biting his lip against a moan of pain. Bandages… He needed bandages… The world swam around him, his vision fading into muddy brown. As consciousness fled he prayed that none of the king’s guards favoured poisoned blades.
Words: 100
Click the little blue frog to see the other entries.
An Enchanted Place 
Impressive!
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Thank you!
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Oh the poison blade.. I feel a whiff from Hamlet blowing through
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LOL – I hadn’t actually thought about that but you could be right!
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You definitely got our attention with the fast pace of this writing. Now, I’m wondering about the poisoned arrows…
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I keep getting the feeling that I need to write more to this story! Thanks for visiting. 🙂
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It sounds like the story wants you to continue 🙂
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You could be right!
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loved it! please write more to the story – why was Mikael attacked? is he a rouge? a prince? a spy? an assassin? more please!
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Thank you! And there may be more of this story coming soon! It’s inspired me as little else has done in recent years. This type of story used to be all I wrote back in my teens and then I went through my ‘years of self-doubt’ when I abandoned the fantasy genre completely. I’ve made a return to it already with my children’s story, maybe now I also need to return to it with my stories aimed at an older audience. 🙂
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It must be a scary thought, knowing as you fall unconscious that if those blades were poisoned you probably won’t wake up. This could be the fast-paced opening to a longer story!
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The more I think about this story the more I think you’re right. I’m getting lots of ideas for plot-lines and characters… So much for writing a complete story in 100 words! 🙂
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Dear Fairymind,
What a terrible predicament to find oneself in.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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The question is, what happened to get him into the predicament in the first place? I have to admit that I’m feeling a definite urge to write more about this character and his story. 🙂 Thanks for visiting.
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Dear Fairymind,
This fantastic story had me hoping a pharmacy would appear out of the gloom. Poisoned blade antidotes, aisle 13. Well done.
Aloha,
Doug
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That would be very useful – and with a symptoms chart to help you find the right one! Thank you for a lovely comment. 🙂
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As others have said, this was fast-paced and intriguing. I like Doug’s idea about a pharmacy around the corner. (Or over the next wave.) Well done.
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Thank you! I’m glad you liked it. A pharmacy around the corner would be very useful but somehow I don’t think he’s going to find one!
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Very interesting story! Wish I knew the outcome!
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Thank you! There may well be a continuation in the near future. 🙂
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That will be nice!
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Very tense. I’m intrigued.
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Thank you! I’m glad you like it!
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Great story and makes me want to know more! You are very, very talented! Nan 🙂
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Thank you for your very kind comment. I’m very flattered. 🙂 And this story may well be continued…
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