Blog Hop Flash Fiction: The Angled Forest





The Angled Forest



Scott leaned his gun against a nearby tree and gazed at the light bulb dangling freely in the forest, wondering to himself, what the hell is that doing here?   


It wasn’t only the light that caught his attention, it was the glow the light emitted. Everything it illuminated seemed to radiate light back, making everything vibrant and captivating. The effect was intoxicating.


Scott cautiously extended a finger toward the light. The bulb was softer than he expected and indented slightly where his finger made contact. He pulled his hand back slowly and was surprised to discover that the light moved with it. Scott turned his hand to see why the bulb was stuck to his finger, causing it to brush his knuckles where it stuck to the skin it contacted.


Scott glanced around questioningly and shook his hand slightly to dislodge the bulb, but that merely served to stick more of his hand to it. Fully alarmed, Scott seized the bulb with his other hand to try to rip it loose, but now found himself ensnared by both hands. 


A sudden yank from above lifted him about three feet off the ground and roughly dropped him back to the forest floor. Terrified, Scott began running back toward the campsite,  but within a couple of steps he was jerked off his feet and catapulted towards the forest canopy at a horrific speed. Scott gasped, his eyes wide with fear.


Above the foliage, in the silent dark mass that hovered unseen from below, a satisfied grunt escaped the larger of the two beings seated within. With a slight grin it addressed the smaller and warbled in an alien tongue, “See, now it’s like I said, it’s all about knowing where to cast your line, and having the right bait.”

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Written by Kevin Hiatt for the Flash Fiction Blog Hop, hosted by Angela GoffLillie McFerrinAngie Richmond, and Daniel Swensen.


Comments

  1. Dude! I'm impressed. You said you wrote this up quickly, but it reads pretty dang polished. First line had me laughing. Someone did the fishing thing in their entry earlier, but I enjoyed your take on it. Certainly didn't see that coming! :)

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    1. Thanks David.. I've got a feeling the fishing and the Angler Fish itself, might get some play in some others as well. Reading over some of the others, it's amazing at how varied the ideas are already. Some great stuff, yours very much included.

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  2. Fun read...second one I've read with a similar theme. Liked it!

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    1. Thanks Donna, I loved yours as well, the concept blew my mind. I'd have commented on it on your blog.. if I could've figured out how to post a reply. lol

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    1. Thanks JA. I really liked yours as well, it was one of the first I read after submitting mine. Very good sense of fear in yours.

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  4. I liked the last line too but JB Lacaden beat you to it.

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    1. Yeah, the concept will probably be a popular one, but that's what you run into in these contests. Besides, if you google 'aliens fishing humans, we're both rather badly beaten. ;) However I think there's enough room for both of us. As they say, there are no new ideas, only new ways of making old ideas felt. Thanks for the comment.

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  5. I just like the idea of light bulbs being bait for humans. Very Edison. Nice work ;)

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  6. Just about fell off my chair laughing.

    Good post and ending. I did not see it coming.

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  7. Light is the perfect bait to catch me too, I always have to go check it out. Great work!

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  8. That ending tooootally made me laugh :) That was such a great twist!

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