Dead Birds Everywhere (a flash fiction story)

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“Dead Birds Everywhere”

Kyle turned suddenly at what sounded like the fluttering of a thousand wings. The solid blow to his forehead sent him reeling backwards. His eyes flickered, questioningly, but it was momentary as darkness descended over him.

He woke up, not knowing how much time had passed, minutes, hours, days. He was sitting up, back propped against a wall. It felt cool without being cold, and the ground under him was damp. Try as he might he couldn’t move his arms or legs as they were bound tightly and the gag over his mouth suppressed any attempt to yell his displeasure at his current circumstance.

Throbbing pain racked each turn of his head and his eyes were still trying to focus as he attempted to survey his surroundings.

The sun had begun to rise. A ray of light peeked through a small solitary window high on the eastern wall and slowly spread over the far end of the room in which Kyle found himself. It appeared to be a large but filthy bathroom or restroom.

Kyle began to panic, “How did I get here…why…who?” He began trying to free himself, struggling to loosen the ropes binding his arms behind his back, but they held tight and he only managed to topple over onto his side and that was less than ideal. Managing to eventually push himself again into an upright position Kyle looked to where the morning light had now spread. There were a couple of toilet cubicles and on the door of one he could make out writing in bold letters…”DEAD BIRDS EVERYWHERE”…

Dead Birds Everywhere
Dead Birds Everywhere (photo property of Jen Arnett)

 

“What the hell did that mean?” he asked himself but didn’t expect or get an answer. The paint…or was it blood… ran from the words and down the door in rivulets.

Suddenly he felt a stabbing pain in his neck as something sharp was pressed against it and the gag simultaneously ripped from his mouth. He began to scream as the dark silhouette leaned over him and in a deep calm voice asked, “What did you do with the feathers?”

 

by John Hansen © 2015

 

      ~~~~ The Story Continues ~~~~

(if you like stories to have a true ending and this one left you with too many questions, check out Chris Mills’ wonderful continuation of the story. I thank Chris for his collaboration and look forward to doing it again) 

Corvidae Corvus, Dead Birds Everywhere

                                                  

  The Original Challenge

Jennifer Arnett originally issued this challenge on HubPages: “Would you like to participate in a short story challenge?

This short piece of flash fiction “Dead Birds Everywhere” was my response. I found this a very interesting experience in a genre I had only recently begun experimenting with. Flash Fiction does lend itself to doing away with unnecessary words and side stories. Thank you for reading.

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John Hansen

Longtime poet but not in the traditional technical sense. I enjoy rhyme but like to experiment and dabble in many different forms and maybe even make up some of my own. There is always a message or lesson I want to promote through my writing, for that reason, my poetry generally shies away from the abstract and obscure. After a lot of procrastinating I have finally self-published my first eBook of poetry "I Laughed a Smile" at Lulu.com. Now I find myself branching out and experimenting with short fiction. I have also been fortunate to have two poems chosen to be made into songs and recorded. The first "On the Road to Kingdom Come" by Al Wordlaw, and the second, "If I Could Write a Love Poem" by award-winning Israeli/British singer Tally Koren. I am also finding my services increasingly in demand as a freelance writer and I have ghost-written the text for a number of children's books and educational tutorials. It has taken me many years of searching and restlessness to realise that my life's passion is to write. It saddens me that I wasted so many years not devoting to that, but thinking positively, the experiences gained over those years are now wonderful material for my stories and poems. I want to try to bring a new focus on poetry and try to make it appealing to a new generation of young people and those who thought they never liked or understood it before.

10 thoughts on “Dead Birds Everywhere (a flash fiction story)

  • May 18, 2016 at 3:13 PM
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    My gosh, so tense and mysterious, John. And the feathers – what did you do with the feathers? Interesting and intriguing way to end part one. I enjoyed reading this well-written story. On to part two. What a fun idea, this challenge.

  • May 18, 2016 at 10:07 PM
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    Indeed this left me tense and begging for more. I need to know “what had been done with those feathers” so of course I will read on. The last mystery as well as movie had me ducking in my seat, remembering “The Birds” an Alfred Hitchcock thriller from years back. I remember leaving the theater ducking. So now John, you have peeked my interest, I’m flying over to Chapter Two for a resounding conclusion to the whereabouts of those feathers. Well done John.

  • May 19, 2016 at 8:54 AM
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    Glad you enjoyed this piece of flash fiction, Tony. I also loved Chris’s twist on the story and it surprised me as well.

  • May 19, 2016 at 6:38 PM
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    What a great surprise and idea! Good job here to make me want to get to the bottom of the mystery and so I am off to find out!

  • August 13, 2016 at 5:43 AM
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    I thoroughly enjoyed this John and can’t wait to get to the bottom of the mystery either. I have posted an application to join you all on here and hope to hear from you soon

    • August 13, 2016 at 7:17 AM
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      Thank you for the kind comment, Eddy.Chris Mills had written a follow up chapter to the story but he has left the site so I am not sure if his part of the story is still here. Glad to hear that you have applied to join. You should get approval within the next two days.

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