The Howlers (Short Story)
1,000 words, ~6 minute read. Desktop or laptop recommended for best reading experience.
Hello, and thank you for remaining curious about my writings. My posts can be infrequent, but I truly care and put great effort into the final products.
Writing is an odd hobby. I love the act of writing; I often dread the thought of writing. I’m constantly telling myself I want to write more—have it be the main form of creative expression—only to internally chastise myself for picking another form of pleasure or entertainment. I find it particularly difficult to write during summer, unless my journal and I can find myself a quiet spot beside the river, perhaps a large slanted rock to lie back against.
This last weekend I entered a Flash Fiction challenge (1,000 words or less) and was given 48 hours to write an original story. The deadlines these challenges provide often expedite my creative energy. I don’t need to write all the time, I just need to write today.
There’s also a feeling of finality that comes with a deadline. The difference between a story being finished or not is merely a matter of mood, or the day of the week. Something can always be edited or tweaked. I was given a deadline of 10pm on Sunday night: I’m both happy and amused by what my unconscious writer’s brain produced.
Without further ado, here’s a story I call The Howlers. Take your time—read it twice!—and I hope you enjoy :)