Author: Erica Drayton Writes

#147 Pentober, The Prequels

Want to join me in handwriting your next story? Read all about Pentober HERE and learn more before October.

#146 Timeless

A hot tip. That’s what it was. So hot, in fact, he began to sweat. Eating lunch one afternoon he overheard a conversation he wouldn’t dare repeat to anyone.

There were five men in front of him. Unable to be still and patient he started to bite his nails. Now four men.

The race was about to begin and he still hadn’t placed his bet. Now three men.

His mouth was suddenly like the Sahara desert, palms sticky. Two men.

He reached in his pocket.

One man.

No wallet.

Panic set in. A shot rang out to start the race.

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Timeless – With Felix Purat

Seeking the eternal in literature and cultural philosophy.

Special thanks to for being a part of the Substack Fiction Community and now a part of my 100 Word Story journey.

#145 The Fictional

“…it’s been ten days since my last confession. I killed a man last night. And it felt good. To be honest, he had it coming from the very beginning.”

Making my confession made me feel so much better. A weight had been lifted, telling a man who had to keep my secret.

“I understand, my child,” he said, and paused before adding, “will you do it again?”

“I think so. I can’t help it. I have a taste for it now. What should I do?”

“Go home and finish the story so I can read how it ends, of course!”

In keeping with the theme for the rest of September, check out the publication whose name I used for the story you just read. And if you like their writing, give them a Subscribe to let them know!

The Fictional

Writer. Thinker. Linguist. Teacher. I write fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, thriller, and erotica. I write poetry, short stories, flash and serialized fiction and novels. I write because there are stories to be told, and I want to know how they end, too.

By SJStone

Special thanks to for being a part of the Substack Fiction Community and now a part of my 100 Word Story journey.

#144 A Stone, A Web, A Story

Field Guide Log #84

We had been underground for hours, walking through a web of tunnels before finding what we were looking for. A large stone with images believed to be the first story written by human hands. We scanned the images, hoping to be the first to transcribe it for the world.

They told the story of a woman who was chased by beasts. She entered a cave, not unlike ours, and hid away, waiting to be rescued.

“I knew you’d come.” The voice was faint but definitely female. We came for a story but uncovered so much more.

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A Stone, a Web, a Story

serial fiction for nonconformists who want their reality sprinkled with magic.

By Jennifer Rose

Special thanks to for being a part of the Substack Fiction Community and now a part of my 100 Word Story journey.

#143 Title, goes here

The old man sat in the church cemetery every single day clutching a bunch of lilies in one hand and his hat in the other. His hair balding on top but the wisps of auburn, a nod to his younger years.

The bench he occupied faced several gravestones but it was one in particular he visited. Large rectangle. Same as the rest. But upon further inspection, what made it different from the others was its lack of a name. 

Only he knew who was buried there and as long as he lived he vowed to keep watch and never forget.

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Title, goes here

Stories and more stories! Mainly flash fiction, Harold and Sallie stories, some personal essays and updates about my writing and life in general.

By Kim H.

Special thanks to for being a part of the Substack Fiction Community and now a part of my 100 Word Story journey.

#142 The Sudden Walk

The music coming from Hanover House was so loud the ground at the cemetery vibrated. The house was filled with guests in costume, drinking and laughing and dancing to the music. No one noticed the couple who floated a few inches off the floor when they moved.

They wore their wedding attire from the blessed day that took place nearly a century ago in this very house. He was much smaller in his tuxedo and she didn’t fill out her dress quite like she used to.

Their skeletal faces shone by the lights of the disco ball. And they danced.

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The Sudden Walk

Short Fiction Stories, thought experiments exploring the human condition.

By Hamish Kavanagh

Special thanks to for being a part of the Substack Fiction Community and now a part of my 100 Word Story journey.

#141 Life UnCorked

“I found this old bottle of wine when I moved in. Says it was bottled in 1480,” I said, handing over the dust covered bottle.

“1480? That’s impossible,” Kerri, my best friend, said, and grabbed it from me. She held it up to the light to see if there was anything inside. Once confirmed she handed it back and I proceeded to wriggle the cork till it came free with the familiar POP.

I would describe the smell it released as floral. But seeing as now we’re both six feet under, that’s all I feel like sharing at this time. 

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Life UnCorked

A post-retirement dive into the deep end of life from a Christian worldview. Always free, always fresh, relevant content delivered to your inbox several times a week.

By Cork Hutson

Special thanks to for being a part of the Substack Fiction Community and now a part of my 100 Word Story journey.

#140 Kindling

The embers crackled in the still night air. A family of three sat around a fire that wasn’t theirs, sipping from mugs.

“I think they’s ready, maw. Can we eat now?”

“Weasel, I done tole ya we gotta let the meat marinate as long as possible. Really lock in the flavor,” his mother cackled.

Weasel sulked while he drank his mug of blood.

“Ham, go see if they ready. Yer brother fixin’ to pass out from hunger.”

Ham walked over to a tent and looked in. Three bodies crammed in a large barrel.

“They look ready to eat!” he shouted.

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Kindling

A newsletter for people with boring lives and active imaginations. Exploring banned books, dark fiction, and sharing original short stories.

By Shaina Read

Special thanks to for being a part of the Substack Fiction Community and now a part of my 100 Word Story journey.

#139 Altered Narrative

“In a world where rules don’t exist and everything is planned. Chaos never reigns. It dominates.”

“Finish your breakfast, young man. Or the only chaos you’ll encounter is from your mother.”

Dylan ate everything and scampered from the table before she could hand out chores. He knew his enemy was lurking just around the corner.

“In a world where cats are ferocious beasts, Dylan isn’t afraid. He’s faced down a tabby or two in his day. And he can do it—”

As Dylan expected, the neighborhood cat was waiting for him. He curled his mouse tail, ready for the chase.

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Altered Narrative

Like a haunted clubhouse for people who like reading sci-fi, fantasy and horror…

By M. Trask

Special thanks to for being a part of the Substack Fiction Community and now a part of my 100 Word Story journey.