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Here is the first of my entries. 200 words category.

My Wife's Two Bottles

Spoiler

     My wife was rummaging around in the cabinet under the kitchen sink the other day, cleaning it out of unwanted stuff.  Way over on one side was a bottle of Japanese sake that had turned from clear to a deep brown color.  Looking at the label, she saw that the bottle had been bought years ago.  It had obviously gone off, and so she poured its contents down the sink, the stringent odor tanging her nose, and put the bottle out for collection.

    Now, the second bottle's story:  Six months earlier; her and I are struggling to open a bottle of brandy that had been sitting on the shop shelf so long that its cork had turned rotten.  I almost got half the damn thing out with a skillfully stabbed skewer, but that bit broke off and we ended up pushing the cork down into the liquor.  Then, it was a race against time to save the expensive brandy before the ancient cork acidized it, or whatever it does.  We looked around.  There was an old sake bottle under the sink that had sat there for years.  We emptied it and found a small enough funnel to make the pour.

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I have two in mind... so far...

Could even temporarily rename the contest to the FFFC (Fortnightly Flash Fiction Contest), for a bit, to attract people who want to write but feel too intimidated or time-constrained to enter usually?

Looking back on my own experience, the first time I ever joined a round was for a 112-word story, as I thought I had left writing behind as a life-goal for many decades. But I thought: It's only 112 words. What's the harm? (the harm being that I am now closing in on finishing my first complete novel)

Hopefully, such a new acronym will not confuse too many folk from any Final Fantasy Football Clubs that might exist out there.

Maybe a round or five of flash fiction length entries only? Those are fun, and might attract more people with lots going on. Not at all a selfish request on my part... hehe.

I'm about halfway done. Will I have any competition this round?

Not from me, sorry... Unless it's a very brief thing I can bash out. Too busy with a few other writing commitments for the foreseeable future.

I always consider this my home, though.

Very cool story, Baron!

@Sinitrena

Spoiler

I wrote that when quite drunk, barely remembering it the next day. When I looked back over it later, I just decided to keep the chaotic mess of rhyming and jarring tone because it felt raw and kinda appropriate to the horror of the whole thing in a punk-rock kinda way. Well, that was my thought, anyway. Whether it worked or not, or would work for some but not others, I have no idea. It's not a piece I would include in a collection of work, that's for sure.

Also, I don't think you or I need to vote, but my autovote goes to you, just in case. Will read/feedback soon.

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Don't Read This
Trigger warnings:

Spoiler

Involves child predation

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Spoiler

Once, a poor beggar,
Once a man, but now lesser,
Staggered his way into a church.
But the priest left him in the lurch,
Closing the confessional for the better.

'The better to what end?'
The beggar did append,
To the priest's strict closure of the closet.
'Well, it was past closing time, wassit?'
The priest said, pushing him out to the bend.

The man begged for and bought,
The needs to abort,
The church's hard stance on his plight.
In the glare of welder-torch light,
He fashioned a bomb that ought,

Bring the pastor a bit of trouble,
From the flashbang that he had cobbled.
To stop new recruits,
From getting cocks up their poop-chutes.
And leave the priest dead in the rubble.

But he bragged online that night,
Saying, "I'll bring down the buggers, al'ight?',
Was raided by SWAT,
Taken out with a shot.
Now the priest gets to rape all he likes.

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I have an epic poem in the works.

Yeah, sorry, I got nothing this round. I was rushing to prepare a presentation of a writing project for potential publication, so all effort was on that. I got the green light, by the way.

Space Cop?

Some Final Destination thingy?

Pretty sure this is wrong, but:

Happy Death Day 1 or 2?

What about those "inspirational" memes that tout the poster as being "different", despite them clearly doing the same thing as everyone else.

OMG yes!!! AND those ones that were very prevalent back when the vaccine topic was raging that were like:

"It takes a special kind of genius to go up against what 99.9% of people blindly believe."

That CAN be true, IF the person going against the consensus has the suitable evidence to back up their viewpoint, but in the case of social media memes, this is NEVER the case. All they have is a massive case of Dunning-Kruger.

People who post "inspirational" memes on social media that all directly contradict each other.

That votes are in, and the tallies:

Sinitrena: 2
Stupot: 1
Lorenzo: 1


Over to you, Sini!!!

Under Paris!

Yep. The movie that is quite literally in Seine.

(156th time I've made this joke)

158th, dude. I was there for all of them!

I hereby pass this round to anyone who wants it!

Under Paris!

Sorry, time got away from me.

That's what Santa said in my story!

And no worries... I know of at least one person who wants to vote but too busy, so I think I will just extend voting over Christmas until Dec 29th... I don't think many people are gonna get a start on a new round over the next few days anyway.

Oh, Yay! Baron got his end in!

VOTING TIME!!!

Please post your favorite entry, in spoiler tags, by author name.

The entry with the most votes wins.

In the event of a tie, I will decide.

ANYONE CAN VOTE! NOT JUST PARTICIPANTS IN THE CONTEST!

Feedback always appreciated.

The stories are:

Sinitrena ~ Gift Wrapping
Lorenzo ~ Interplanetary Relocations Co.
Stupot ~ Somebody Had To
Baron ~ The Depth Collector

Voting closes end of day December 23rd.