author: Nicole J. LeBoeuf

Notes from the author:

Have you seen Chuck Wendig’s blog? It’s funny and wise and potty-mouthed and you should read it. A large portion of the funny, potty-mouthed wisdom on showcase there has to do with writing, which is something he knows a lot about, being an author and all. He can tell you what to do when your story hits a wall (give your characters more to do), why you should buy his books right now (because they are on sale!) and why you should endeavor not to be a jerk (because duh).

He’s also full of fabulous writing prompts. Once a week, he lays one down as a flash fiction challenge. He gives his readers a prompt, a target word count, and a deadline. For the August 4 deadline, the challenge was to play with the idea of slasher films. My response to that challenge follows here; you can read others’ responses on his blog.

Izzy and Lizzy were on a date, and it wasn’t going well. To start with, neither of them much liked slasher films. They were there out of separate misplaced senses of romantic obligation. Izzy had suggested it because Real Men liked slasher films; Lizzy had agreed because Chill Girls don’t say no. Neither of them would have enjoyed the movie much even if it had been a good slasher film, which it wasn’t. Also there was a serial killer sitting right behind them. As first dates went, this one didn’t have much going for it.

Izzy and Lizzy had been best friends since preschool. It made the prospect of romance kind of attractive but also kind of weird. It was hard to reconcile the prospect of sex with memories of building Lego towers and shoving crayons up each other’s noses. Also their parents didn’t so much expect as utterly take for granted that the two would eventually marry, which in most cases would have ensured that they’d want nothing to do with each other. But they both enjoyed each other’s company, which seemed to be a necessary ingredient for a happy marriage. So, with some trepidation, they’d agreed to a first date.

The serial killer was on the job tonight and had chosen the movie for the same reason lovers might choose an erotic film for after-dinner viewing: as a mood enhancer and for technical inspiration.

The movie was called A Little Off the Top....

This has been an excerpt from the Friday Fictionette for September 1, 2017. Subscribers can download the full-length fictionette (1090 words) from Patreon as an ebook or audiobook depending on their pledge tier.

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