Each Friday, the writers of the Writer’s Retreat reflect on their favorite flash fiction ficlets created over the course of the week, or sometimes even farther back, or maybe even something brand-spanking new. While we never know quite what we’ll share, we can guarantee that it will entertain! Join us!
A. Catherine Noon: “Succession”
Darla M. Sands: “More Than Meets the Eye”
Lucius Antony: “The First Assignment”
I wanted action, how foolish.
After a year of training, they gave me my first assignment. After learning to use my new powers, they told me to ride a train to the destination. Not only was I to ride a train, but I was also only suppose to apprehend a rogue who was not expected to put up much resistance.
I played with lightning in my hands as I sat in the almost empty cargo car of the train. I thought about the day this all started and that woman, Jamie, who tried to keep me away from Ibarra and failed.
As I thought of the possibilities of what would’ve happened if she had succeeded, I felt a familiar pull, and mental sensation.
He was outside.
There was a flash of light from my body as I transported outside, in front of the rogue who had felt me coming, and waited for me.
He had dark hair and blue eyes that twinkled like the sea at sunset. His loose clothing was a better choice for the hot, arid climate than my leather coat, but I didn’t choose the setting.
“You’re new. What’s your name?” he asked. His voice was coarse, probably from years of heavy smoking.
“Ibarra sent me. I’m supposed to take you back to New York.”
“Tell Ibarra to go fuck himself.”
He turned away from me. In another small flash of green light I appeared in front of him, the ground beneath my feet black and sizzling. I lifted my hand and conducted some lightning with it, threatening him.
“Tell him yourself,” I replied.
He changed his form: his skin melting off of his body to reveal a pure white form with a blue aura surrounding him. His pupils and irises disappeared and his hair became unruly and changed to same shade of blue as his aura.
He attacked first, throwing a fireball. I extended my hand, forming a shield of nearly pure energy to protect myself. The fire dissipated against my shield, and retaliated with striking at him with lightning from my left hand.
I noticed his disappearance in the same instant that his foot connected with the back of my neck. I fell to the ground as a sharp, searing pain racked my body. I cut off the sensation of pain, a handy trick I had learned during my training, and caught his fist in my palm.
I saw the skin on my hand begin to crack and break off, revealing the same pure white, luminescent skin and green aura. I began to encase his arm in ice while he struggled to free himself from my grip. He forcible cut his own arm off at the elbow, and flew into the air.
At a safe distance, he held out his good arm and shot three sharp crags of ice in my direction. I played into scheme and created a shield to protect myself. His attacks shattered and I retaliated with a wave of white fire. He emerged from the attack unscathed; I’m ashamed to admit that I don’t know how.
He landed, and I started to feel sick. It had started with a slight headache as I was freezing his arm, and had escalated to a migraine and a terrible contortion within my stomach. He started laughing and walking towards me as my vision started to blur.
I fell to my knees and retched. My skin and hair slowly dimmed and faded to their normal complexion, and my aura had disappeared completely. My breath came in heaves and my sweat dripped onto the ground below.
“Young fool!” he laughed as he powered down. “You used too much energy, and now you’re completely helpless. Killing you would leave a bad taste in my mouth, just leave me alone. And tell Ibarra to do the same.”
He turned his back and I shot him. They could fix him when I get back to headquarters.