January 26-31 Microfiction

Inspired by prompts from @miguels4

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1-26-25

Aurora

100 words

Ellie looked into the sky. No light pollution and new moon, perfect for viewing the Aurora Borealis. She steadied her cameras, checking the settings for perfection. At midnight, Ellie set them clicking into action.

A pink glow reflected on the snow, blossoming into ribbons of swirling pink, red, purple, and green. The lights began to rotate as Ellie watched without blinking. The lights spun, a tornado of color closing in on her. Ellie panicked. The lights hurt her eyes. Deafening noise, like a million cicadas

Then, nothing. Blackness stretched over the mountains while the cameras continued to click, click, click.

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1-27-25

Suit

60 words

"Not a suit." Why do people who know nothing about you get to decide what the deceased wears?

"But sir, it is customary--"

Brad interrupted, "I have his aloha shirt, shorts, and flip flops with me."

Aghast, the mortician sputtered. "You can't mean--"

"That's exactly what I mean."

An hour later, guests gathered, fresh from the surf, windblown and salty.

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1-28-25

Flower fields

100 words

I didn’t get to this one—have at it!

1-29-25

Boundaries

60 words

"No" is a lovely word. It allows people to set boundaries on their activities and commitments. It's also a really hard word to say to someone you care about asking you to participate in a cause you're passionate about.

Ask Joanna. Torn between a job she enjoys and a family who needs her, every day is a struggle for balance.

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1-30-29

Morning

80 words

The birds awaken first, singing songs of the morning as if calling to the sun. Leaves on trees begin to unfold to capture the early rays. Dawn breaks in pink and orange across the eastern sky. If there are clouds, the colors magnify, reflecting and refracting magically. It's possible to watch the sliver of golden orb emerge over the horizon in microscopic increments until the whole releases from earth's edge in its journey around the world.

Or so they say.

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1-31-25

Moment

60 words

"Number, please," the operator said. "One moment." She plugged the connector into the jack for the caller. Locating the outgoing line for the call recipient, she completed the circuit by plugging in the other connector. The call successfully established, she began the process of connecting the next call. Her hand froze when she heard the first caller growl, "It's done."

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