A Story in a Flash: A Collection of 300 Word Flashfiction Stories

By Michael Drake

A Collection of 50 Flash-fiction stories by Michael Drake. Each story is exactly 300 words in length. So you always know what you are getting into. Mostly science fiction, fantasy or fractured fairy tales (you may find yourself going back to the original fairy tales to get all the references). You'll find adventure, comedy and drama. Standing in line, sitting on the bus, on a lunch break or just need to kill some time, these stories are perfect for those who only have a few minutes at a time to read but want a story, in a flash.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michael Drake
• Release date: Apr 10, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301551569

Michael Drake

Michael Drake is an internationally recognized writer and recording artist. He is the author of The Shamanic Drum: A Guide to Sacred Drumming, Shamanic Drumming: Calling the Spirits, I Ching: The Tao of Drumming, Shamanic Drumming Circles Guide, The Great Shift, Riding Spirit Horse: A Journey Into Shamanism, and Shamanic Journeys: An Anthology. His musical and spoken word albums include Shamanic Journey Drumming, Power Animal Drumming and The Shamanic Drum Instructional. His articles have appeared in numerous publications, including Awareness, Sacred Hoop, and Mother Earth News. Raised in a conservative Baptist Church, Michael had his first ecstatic experience as a youth at a church revival, an evangelistic meeting intended to reawaken interest in religion. This state of rapture and trancelike elation inspired his spiritual quest for meaning and fulfillment. At a crucial point in his search, Michael came in touch with the transforming power of shamanic drumming and discovered his true calling. Inspired by his research and experiences, Michael founded Talking Drum Publications in 1991 in order to share the healing power of rhythm with the global drumming community. For the past thirty years, he has been facilitating drum circles and workshops nationwide.

Book preview

A Day In The Life Of A Rock

By

Michael Drake

Rivero the rock began the day at midnight enjoying a light rain. It felt refreshing to be cleaned without being drenched.

I wish I could do my back, the rock thought slowly.

Rivero lay out front of a house in a rough part of town. He actually liked his current spot marking the corner of a row of bushes that ran along the sidewalk; much better than the year he spent getting soaked under the leaky gutter.

The rain tapered off by sunrise and the sun evaporated what was left on Rivero and his neighbors.

Ahhh, clean and dry, thought Rivero.

No sooner did it complete that very slow thought than a group of kids came down the sidewalk and up to Rivero.

This one should have some, said one of the kids.

Two others in the group upended Rivero, heaving the rock completely over and on the damp leaves under the bush.

Cool! There are lots of worms. Quick, get them before they go back underground, shouted one of the older kids.

The group left Rivero lying on its back and continued, worms in hand down the sidewalk.

Rivero spent the rest of the morning feeling quite dirty and wishing the rain would come back. No sooner did it complete that very slow thought than a dog came down the sidewalk and up to Rivero.

Yuck! Not how I wanted a shower, thought Rivero (in a rocklike slowness, of course), as the dog walked away relieved.

It took the remainder of the afternoon for the slickness to finally dry. Rivero rested, lying on its back, trying to enjoy the cool evening.

Just before midnight, Rivero found itself suddenly flying through the air. It shattered a large picture window and crashed through a coffee table. The flames began soon after.

A View From The Top

By

Michael Drake

Everyone knows I am Top Gun. My experience in warfare put me there.

When in the heat of battle, I respond without hesitation, firing when told; no mercy, no regrets. That’s what makes me the best.

I’ve been at the top of my game for a year now. I am the first choice by brass for their most covert missions.

I’ve flown over more enemy territory than friendly. I’ve seen action on a daily basis day and night.

The stealth mission over the eastern mountains proved the most difficult of the year. The enemy’s gunfire was barely recognizable through my own barrage of bullets. The mission had taken it out of me. It took a full four months before I was to fly again.

When I finally did take to the air, I found my condition excellent and I was ready for action. The missions came non-stop. Global skirmishes required global travel, such as I had never experienced before. Deserts and artic tundra, historic villages and equatorial waters were all on the itinerary. Breathtaking vistas made way to desolate despair. Ravaged landscape flamed to total destruction with my accuracy the propellant.

Raze and return; another mission completed and back at command. From my position in the hanger I could see a megacrane wheeling its massive body across the expansive enclosure. It changed course and approached me.

I could hear the voices of men below me.

Out with the old and in with the latest and greatest, said one of the men.

To think, this used to be the top gun available to us, said the other man.

It was then the workmen began detaching me from the fighter jet.

Glory may only come once in your life. Enjoy it when it does, I thought, as the crane carried me away.

Alice Doesn’t Sleep Here Anymore

By

Michael Drake

Alice pulled the rest of herself out of the storybook sized rabbit hole. She brushed dust and mud off her expensive Italian party dress and refused to think about what her father would bellow when she got home.

Alice stepped onto the sidewalk just in time to see a little boy run past. She could swear that he had a plum stuck on his thumb, but Alice never swore. A woman ran, shouting after the boy.

You come back here Jack. It’s not bad enough that you got in trouble with Jill on that hill but now you ruin my pie and run away. Why do you refuse to tell me how you grew that giant beanstalk in the backyard overnight? she shouted after him.

The little boy and his mother kept running but a rabbit passed them both like he was in a race. Alice was sure she saw a tortoise, trudging behind.

Mr. Todd Tortoise