Several Flash Fiction Stories in FlashShot, Year One
More stories in FLASHSHOT: YEAR TWO
Also available from Lulu.Com Printed: $13.99 Download: $4.43
"Closing the Circle" (Wednesday, April 02, 2003, originally appeared in FlashShot).
FlashShot (April 2005): (copies posted here)
April 2, "Hell-O"
April 9, "In Order to Save"
April 28, "Starlight, Starbright"
THE TRIBUTE LANTERN
by Chris Ambrose
An emaciated R'neh stood behind the candle shop counter. Behind him was an image of the alien, somewhat younger, with visible rolls of fat.
"This one sure lost some weight," Roland muttered to his guide, Hathaway. Like his namesake, Hathaway sported an eye-patch.
Hathaway finally broke the awkward silence. "The cost of interstellar travel is that each race make a personal contribution to the Overlords' Tribute Lantern. Since weight is their sense of pride, the R'neh make candles, contributing tallow from their bodies."
Roland swallowed.
"What, then, do humans contribute?"
"You weren't told?" Hathaway asked. "Humans must contribute the lenses."
(This was a "drabble", flash fiction of EXACTLY 100 words on the theme of "Alien Candle Shop.")