Developing the challenge I proposed here: It is generally agreed that some combination of all the following elements is essential in having a good short story:
SETTING, CHARACTER, PLOT, POINT OF VIEW, CONFLICT, THEME.
In illustrating this, here is a short story I have whipped up based on the following title. I have avoided using a picture prompt, as that adds a thousand extra words and is cheating!
Wounded
The rhino was perfectly silhouetted against the acacias. Zuka took aim.
‘No you don’t,’ Vusi breathed, raising his rifle. Zuka stepped behind a trunk. Vusi cursed.
A gunshot came; deafeningly.
Zuka screamed, elbow shattered. The rhino fled.
Thandi emerged opposite, rifle smoking. ‘Told you you’d need backup,’ she smirked.
How does this story use the elements?
- Setting: Rhino, acacias, rife, opposite, Nguni names = African bushveld, with a clearing inferred.
- Characters: Zuka (assumed poacher) Vusi (assumed ranger) Thandi (assumed girlfriend of Vusi).
- Plot: Foiled attempt at poaching a rhino.
- Point of view: Third person, limited to Vusi (the narration is confined to what he can see).
- Conflict: Between Zuka on the one side and Vusi and Thandi on the other.
- Theme: Assumed anti-poaching.
My challenge is to produce another 49 words to add to a title of ‘Wounded’. Please have a try in comments!
Still, I can’t resist adding one of my pictures of the sort of backdrop against which this story could take place. A scene showing waterbuck at Zebra Hills, KwaZulu Natal
Colonialist's Blog 
The shortest flash fiction I’ve ever done 😉
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You rose … er, shrank … well to the challenge!
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I do like haiku…and other short verse forms. Mini flash could sort of be like that 🙂
Similar to haiku in that instead of counting 17 (more or less) syllables – one counts words.
‘Mashing’ prompts is…a knack I have – so I have been told.
😉
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Pingback: Damaged (6.30 f) | Jules in Flashy Fiction
Toilet seat buck! 😉
Maybe one day when I get my writing mojo back I’ll join you, for now though I’ll give it a skip.
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Pingback: 50 Words Flash Fiction Challenge: Wounded | Disperser Tracks
Thanks for boost!
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“Elbow shattered” – I loved reading that. Can’t that happen to all poachers? Great story Col and I love the photo. It’s gorgeous! 😀
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I wish something automatic would cause that to happen to them!
I loved visiting that reserve, particularly as one could wander on foot there to get shots like that.
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I wish so too Col!
That must have been fun and that’s wonderful. There should be more reserves like that. 😀
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Excellent one, Col. Liked @Disperser’s too.
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Thanks! Glad Disperser has played along; so far limited further contributions!
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Wounded
” No disease, no drugs.”
“How much?” Volpe asked.
“$200 per pint.”
“I’ll take two,” Volpe said.
Mary let her blood flow, filling the container to the four cups mark as the vampire hungrily watched.
The wound in her arm was a godsend; Mary had many bills to pay.
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Good one! I take it Mary didn’t read the fine print about becoming a vampire by donating?
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That’s only if she’s bitten, not if she sells her blood in a container.
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What a great challenge. Overdue for dog walk before storm, but will try to circle back and play. Get those poachers!
And now must get out quickly…exit stage left….
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Stay close enough to get the dog back to shelter quickly, in need (not worried about you, of course!). 🙂
Look forward to your revisit!
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Hahaha Col – our pro-rhino partisan! I’ll be Thandi backing up Vusi. Very well written.
Though I thought, POV related to the third-person limited, and theme to the anti-poaching?
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Thanks for point-of-viewing that theme out! The titles got mixed in the rush to beat load-shedding earlier this evening. Now fixed.
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Oh 🙂 then I was right! (*blinking in surprise* – I thought it was something I’d got mixed up myself.) It’s a cool story.
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& thank you muchly for your support! 🙂
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