FINISH THAT THOUGHT #3-7 - RESULTS!

Wow! So many joined the fun this week! It's so exciting to see new 'faces' alongside veteran FTT contributors. Thanks to everyone for writing this week. If you missed any of the amazing stories, go read them all here. If you're all caught up, you may continue on to read what our judge had to say about them:

Sixteen entrees, and most very disturbing. Congratulations authors, not only did you create wonderful works, but you hit several government lists. 

The stories are wonderful, diverse, and took an innocent prompt in some seriously dark directions. You all need therapy.

Reviews:

Holly Geely, Holy Victory

                Line 2 delivers "Back then I got kidnapped every other week" and then it continued on to a wonderful twist ending. And that's what our gent gets for not obtaining consent for that kiss.

Sheri Williams, Untitled

                Oh goodness, Sheri delivers with a spoiled mob princess who kills her old man for saving her. There's dark, then there's offing your pops for killing your kidnapper dark. The sense of entitlement from our protagonist captures the feeling well.

Quenby Olson, Wax and Wane

                "The party end of a glock." I demand to read your detective noir when you write it. What a great way to run with the prompt. For a story set in one cell it is filled with details and characters. I was wondering how your character could be so calm, and then the reason is delivered.

Melina Gillies, Untitled

                "I'm annoyed at death for using such a strong beam of light." I may be in love with Bridget. Any girl that snarky in the face of death is great. Fantastic voice, and the mortal danger of suffocating takes things in a new way.

Lauren Greene, An Unwelcome Rescue

                And I just hurled a bit in my mouth. What a strong look at the Stockholm syndrome. I was waiting for one of those to show. But, I didn't anticipate innards being shoved back in dead bodies.  Oh my.

Ashley Gardena, Now what?

                Yeah for a female captor! Read line two and smiled. Then the hit that knocked a tooth loose. The second Stockholm is so different than the first. Love the variety. What a wonderful question, of if the capture was protecting her.

Cyndi Pauwels, Untitled.

                Cyndi, how did you know that computer security is the key to any good dark story. What delightful revenge for our protagonist betraying the captor. And the best sympathetic villain yet. A special mouse to make the victim comfortable — what a gem.

Pratibha, The Walls

                I read that title and thought of Lovecraft, and I think it delivered. I'm not sure if this is a trip down madness in an asylum, or if she really is a prison who got revenge. The voice is compelling, and I want to know what is happening.

Charles W. Short, The Part of Being a Space Pirate No One Tells You About

                First, wow, what a title. You know it's a good title when I write this part of the review before reading the story.

                Whoa. Original to a sin. I love the roast bounty hunter. Pretty sickening, and horrific to be the pirate.

Audrey Gran Weinberg, Service with a Grimace

                I'm still laughing at the punch line. What an interesting premise, with a lady captor wanting to get in on the captive action. And now we see the problem with using George…err…Derek to perform such delicate work.

Ophelia Leong, Among the Dragons

                I'll take "A story I didn't expect from his prompt for 200, Alex." What a great take on the prompt. I love the dragons thinking to her. Also, nice to see that no dragons were harmed in the making of this story.

Park Ink Spot, Love Makes You Do Funny Things

                "I'm glad to see nearly anyone die." Now there's a hook. This piece embraces the dark side, and has a cool way to rehabilitate. Love the look into the killer. What solid visualizations.

Nancy Chenier, Nothing Personal

                "Their aggressive ignoring of me." This is a piece that needs explored further. The world seems so much larger than flash fiction allows.  Write this piece as a short.  Do eet.

Geoff Holme, Mausoleum

                I read your first line and wondered if you were about to taunt prompt. Instead we have a piece calling out Stockholm Syndrome, and one where the character is refreshingly still angry. Great foreshadowing, as soon as the character mentioned enough food for the week I pictured the ending we received. Well, other than the low blood sugar.

Lori Fetters Lopez, Her Pieces Need No Titles

                What a fantastic world. Still laughing at the NASA line (though I like our world's NASA). Wonder change of direction. I thought our protagonist was in trouble, but all along she had a plan in mind.

Andra Jenkin, Dark Matters

                There's unique, and then there's a time-traveling killer who lets prisoners out to get alone time. I adore the moody spaceship. Fantastic descriptions, and the non-American accent lends to a Steampunk feel.

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The quality of the stories, sadly makes judging near impossible. If I could give out a dozen first place trophies I would (well, virtual trophies). But, that's not what you came to hear. But it's true.  So, the winners are the pieces that spoke to me the most when I read them.

Honorable Mentions Galore (Because I'm like that) (Which is technically against the rules, but since I’m getting this up late - and there were so many entries - I’m going to allow it…)

Favorite Spoiled Rich Kid: Holly Geely. No scum, you don't get to play our game — but thanks for the bombs.

Best book girlfriend: Melina Gillies (well, her character that is). I'm a sucker for a feisty Scottish lass.

Nicest Villain: Cyndi Pauwels. The bad guy got her a special mouse. Too bad someone thought romance was blossoming.

Best version of doctor who ever: Andra Jenkin. He's Sherlock with a time machine. Someone must make this.

Special Challenge Champion: Lauren Greene. When I can taste bile, you know you set a scene. And wow the shoving parts back in.

Grand Champion: Quenby Olson. When I reread and still love it you know the voice has me. The ending had me smiling away at the hints that came before. What a complete story in 500 words.

Well done everyone. A good dozen of these would win on a normal week. Something about a dark prompt brought out the stars.