Evening all – I am excited to be presenting you today with the very first instalment of my new (although not very original) feature: FICTION IN 50! Cue rousing orchestral music! I apologise for not having whipped up a cute little meme image to go with it, but rest assured this will eventuate…eventually.
Fiction in 50 will be a semi-regular feature requiring participants (comprising, at this stage, of just me) to create a piece of fiction in 50 words or less. I think this is what people refer to as “flash fiction”.
For this inaugural fiction-flashing I have selected “Dystopia” as my theme. This piece is set in a reasonably distant Australia, and features a main character who, after having been cryogenically frozen at some point in the past, has recently been cured, defrosted and released into the world at large.
***There are some specific cultural references included in the following story, so for those unfamiliar with the foodstuffs mentioned, I have included some contextual information sourced from Professor Wikipedia. Click on the images below for information***
Without further ado, I give you….
Travels in Dystopi-Oz
Ravenous with thawing, seeking nostalgic snacks, I entered the supermarket.
“I’m after Vegemite?”
“Sorry – there’s been none since the company collapsed in 2032.”
“Oh. Sorry. I’m newly defrosted… Milo then.”
“Not since ’36.”
“Ah. Tim Tams?”
“Um….”
Grief battled with confusion, as I emerged, snack-less, into some brave new world.
If anyone else wants to join in and pop out their own Dystopian themed Fiction in 50, you would be more than welcome – chuck it in the comments below or do your own post and link back here! If enough people want to participate I’ll set a regular time and set up some form of linking device…otherwise it’ll just be little ol’ me….
Until next time – yours in new ventures!
Bruce
Not really much point in coming back then Bruce…..
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It’s a gamble one may not wish to take 😉
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Love the idea and will try to participate – Here’s an icon for you – grab it if you want it!
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Did you make that? It simply oozes awesomosity! Thanks – I will definitely steal and use it 😀
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Yes- just for you – so glad you like it!
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Well aren’t you lovely! Many thanks!
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You’re welcome – it was a good day so I thought I would pass some along…
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I like the new feature! If there are no Tim Tams in the future I may not want to be there… haha
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Indeed – a thought scarier than Zombies, I reckon!
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Here’s mine:
I clacked away on a dead keyboard. Hadn’t had electricity in 6 months.
My printer had no ink. My city no mayor. Why finish my dystopian fantasy now?
At my last critique everyone agreed, finishing is the most important thing. Suddenly I heard a crash. The mutants were back.
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Woohoo! Thanks for sharing 😀 I agree with the critiquers….oh wait…critics….clacking away on a dead keyboard feels remarkably productive. Just ask the youngest fleshing round our place.
Thanks again for Fi50-ing with me!
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Report Writer
Sifting through the pile of papers that had taken over the house like an invasive weed, she wondered if order would return. Once vibrant, she had been reduced to a pale and withered figure. Stiff. Malnourished. Gulping the bitter tepid coffee, hoping with each mouthful that spirit would be restored.
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And we’re away! Thanks for joining in – bitter, tepid coffee is dystopian indeed! For me, anyway…some people probably like it. Weirdies.
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No problem. I figure we need a character in a dystopian future writing a story about an even worse dystopian future. Actually…
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A world without milo or timtams? Say it isn’t so!
Great new feature! Can’t wait till the next Fiction in 50
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Thank goodness at this stage it is still a distant bad dream…phew! Stay tuned for future Fi50 dates and themes…once I get my act together and make some up…
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