Welcome to Wallyworld

We were within a mile-and-a-half of the service roads when we found it. After hours of exhaustive searching and following the energy signatures through the mountains, Marilyn literally stumbled upon the debris covered entrance to the cave. Once we’d cleared enough earth away, we were left with a portal into a dark tunnel.

The EMF meters were going wild as Alex lowered himself down. Once in the cave I had to shield my eyes from the intense light of the glowing inter-dimensional rift. One by one we all plunged into it, not knowing what we’d find on the other side. I was the last to go.

Pure radiance bathed my body as I traversed time and space. And then I was standing. The scent of greasy food filled my nostrils before my eyes adjusted. Blinking, I took in the scene around me. Crowds of slightly sun-burned humans wandered around in shorts and silly T-shirts emblazoned with a sailor hat wearing duck. Round, mouse-eared caps adorned the heads of children. Swirling teacups carried whole families around in circles.

My heart sank. Instead of an alien world, I found that corporate commercialism had spread to the far reaches of the galaxy.

Word Count: 199

[This is my entry into the Flash Fiction Challenge for Flash Fiction for the Purposeful Practitioner by Roger Shipp. Write a story based on a photo prompt and introductory sentence in 200 words or less.]

~V

Ostium Ad Infinitum

Mara gasped for air. Her lungs burned and her limbs ached. Her body screamed for rest but she dare not stop. She had to reach to the doorway. Time was running out and the Venari were not far behind. As soon as the Consortium had discovered that she and Derek had entered the vault and released the data stream into the Well, they’d summoned the hunters to track them both. Now she was running for her life. She hoped that Derek was still alive.

The explosion had knocked her out the window. By the time she regained consciousness, Derek was gone. She’d no choice but to try to make it back to the portal and make the jump, with or without him. Blood flowed freely from the gash on her forehead. It stung her eyes as it slowly dripped down her face, blurring her vision. Pausing for a moment to glance behind her, she wiped her eyes clean. She couldn’t see them, not yet, but they were close. She had heard them in the distance not more than three minutes ago and knew they were closing the gap. The Venari were bred to hunt. They were humanoid, but not human: genetically designed monstrosities that had no emotion, only heightened senses, incredible strength, and a thirst for killing. The Venari did not take prisoners.

Imaginations From the Other Side

© 2015, Barbara W. Beacham

“At first, it looked like an ordinary marble, but it was far from it.”

Ben snatched the strange object from the ground and turned it in his hands, examining it. Strange patterns of light glowed faintly from within. Looking closer, the lights began to grow brighter. In moments, the sphere floated from his hand and that’s when he heard the voices.

“Help us Ben,” begged the small voice in his mind. “We’ve been imprisoned in the artifact for centuries. We need your help to free us.”

“Who are you?” he asked excitedly.

“We are the Enari,” said the voice. “Your kind think of us as spirits, but we are creatures from a different realm that travel between dimensions.”

“Of course I’ll help you,” he exclaimed. “I just…”

“Ben!” yelled his mother from the back porch. “Time for lunch!”

Ben looked at his marble, which was ordinary again. Mother always seemed to interrupt his imagination playtime when he was having so much fun.

Word Count: 148

[This is my entry into Monday’s Finish the Story challenge. Writers are encouraged to create a short story of 100-150 words or less based on a weekly photo prompt and opening line.]

~V