Skip to main content

First Challenge of WriteCampaign organized by Rachel Harrie is here!

This is what the challenge requires us to do: 
Write a short story/flash fiction story in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, including a poem. Begin the story with the words, “The door swung open” These four words will be included in the word count.

If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional), use the same beginning words and end with the words: “the door swung shut.” (also included in the word count)

And here’s my entry, at exactly 200 words (including the words from the prompt):( I’m entry 279, whew!)
 Thai Massage

The door swung open and Nana found herself faced with a large, hairy armpit. A doughy lump of a woman in a spaghetti top and sarong overflowed from a revolving chair. A bird-like young girl bent over her, forceps in hand, plucking one hair after another. The enormous woman grimaced from time to time, but found a moment to smile at Nana.
            “What you want madaaam?” she drawled in Thai contralto. If a python could sing, it would sound like her.            

“Just looking to join my husband for a massage. He said he’d be in the last massage parlour down this road.”            

“Your husbaaand, madaaam? No man come here, woman-only parlour madaaam, come in come in,” said the woman, shaking the girl off, rising to her small, pudgy feet.            

“Oh, I’ll go find him then.”            

“Only come in that door, no go out, madaaam.” The woman moved fast for someone her bulk.            

“I’m sorry?”            

“Pretty white girl like you get good price,” smiled the woman, grabbing Nana’s arm, “in two days I get back all the money I pay your husband for youuu.”            

As Nana struggled, she felt a needle sink into her arm. Behind her, the door swung shut.

————————–
If you haven’t read J.C. Martin’s post onwriting flash fiction, please scroll down to yesterday’s post to learn a few tips.
Tomorrow I’m a guest at My journey Through the Pages, Patricia Lynne’s blog. Please come say hello!
Also, reminding all fiction writers of the Rule of Three Blogfest, a month-long shared-world fiction extravaganza in October with some great prizes, and of course, a lot of exposure and constructive feedback for your writing.
This is one Blogfest fiction authors ought not to miss. Go ahead and sign up!
And finally, if you liked the 200-word piece and would like to read more of my stories, go buy A to Z Stories of Life and Death, available on Kindle and Smashwords.
Damyanti Biswas

Damyanti Biswas is the author of You Beneath Your Skin and numerous short stories that have been published in magazines and anthologies in the US, the UK, and Asia. She has been shortlisted for Best Small Fictions and Bath Novel Awards and is co-editor of the Forge Literary Magazine. Her literary crime thriller series, the Blue Mumbai, is represented by Lucienne Diver from The Knight Agency. Both The Blue Bar and The Blue Monsoon were published in 2023.

I appreciate comments, and I always visit back. If you're having trouble commenting, let me know via the contact form, or tweet me up @damyantig !

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

51 Comments