She wears her smile like a mask—bright teeth hiding inner darkness. Not even her fiancé suspects. He never notices the nights she creeps out of bed. Probably because of the sleeping pills. Never sees the blood spotting her clothes.
No one realizes they have a monster in their midst.
The room lit up when she walked through the door. It was as if there was a spotlight both on her and behind her filling the room with her brilliance. This brilliance kept others from seeing who she really was, simply a person who cared.
His words said how tragic it was yet there was a brightness in his eyes as he lingered on the details; the gore, the contorted body, the weapon, the hand prints and splatters up the wall.
The Commissioner wondered if he had the makings of a good detective or not.
The drink perspired under the orange pink dusk of a Californian sunset. Heat sat heavy on the breeze like a fat tourist torturing donkies on the beach. The promise of the day fading and hiding in the brightness of tomorrow's sun.
“My Momma always said I had a brightness. She would say, ‘Boy, you so bright, I had to call you sun.’ I always liked it when Momma spoke like that. I sure miss my Momma.”
“Uhm, Sir, are you going to order or not? You’re holding up the line.”
No one ever opened the curtains at Carfax Abbey. Until the new maid did. Morning light spilled brightly across the drawing room. The wallpaper blistered. Shadows flinched uneasily. By noon, the girl was gone. The curtains drew themselves at dusk. “Sunlight’s not welcome here,” Renfield whispered. “She broke the pact.”
Yup. Straight from Bram Stoker. I was thinking of writing about a knight who polishes his armor so it shines bright as a distraction during battles but… can’t miss out a good vampire plot.
If only fear was bright and blinding, forcing us to shut and shield our eyes, to look away. Instead, it's dark and indiscernible, luring us to peer deeper, to parse its darker corners, binding our eyes to look closer, squinting while the real threat lurks in the periphery. If only.
Her tiny heart, fully in his senses, beat. His magic strengthened it. Still, the heart weakened with each passing pump. He sat by as his little girl, born just recently, slowly slipped away from him. He sensed her heart stop beating, tears slipping past his closed eyes. His brightness faded.
The knight severed the dragon’s head with a masterful stroke of his gleaming sword. Blood splattered onto his glistening armor and shield. He fell to one knee, exhausted, and said a prayer of thanks. He was eager to tell his King that the dragon’s hoard was ripe for the taking.
When she glares at me, I deserve it. Something I said; something I did. But she wields no ordinary glare. The brightness is so intense I have to wear my shades until, mercifully, she finally burns out. Then I guess it’s up to me to light her up, yet again.
Gideon squinted his eyes against the unfamiliar brightness around him. It was sort of greenish, unlike the cold blue light of his former home. Warm air embraced him like a hug. He leaned into the light. For a guy who was supposed to be dead, he had never felt more alive.
Brightness/Darkness
She wears her smile like a mask—bright teeth hiding inner darkness. Not even her fiancé suspects. He never notices the nights she creeps out of bed. Probably because of the sleeping pills. Never sees the blood spotting her clothes.
No one realizes they have a monster in their midst.
The room lit up when she walked through the door. It was as if there was a spotlight both on her and behind her filling the room with her brilliance. This brilliance kept others from seeing who she really was, simply a person who cared.
PROMPT: BRIGHTNESS
THE LIFEBOAT
They were lost at sea, drifting in a lifeboat.
There was just one hope.
Smoke in the distance.
A fire, burning bright.
Frantically, they paddled towards it.
Until they reached an island.
A golden beach.
A haven.
Lined with people.
The only problem was, they were all licking their lips… 🏝️😎🏝️
Brightness – 50mg
His words said how tragic it was yet there was a brightness in his eyes as he lingered on the details; the gore, the contorted body, the weapon, the hand prints and splatters up the wall.
The Commissioner wondered if he had the makings of a good detective or not.
The drink perspired under the orange pink dusk of a Californian sunset. Heat sat heavy on the breeze like a fat tourist torturing donkies on the beach. The promise of the day fading and hiding in the brightness of tomorrow's sun.
"fat tourist torturing donkies on the beach." A vivid imagery haha
BRIGHTNESS
“My Momma always said I had a brightness. She would say, ‘Boy, you so bright, I had to call you sun.’ I always liked it when Momma spoke like that. I sure miss my Momma.”
“Uhm, Sir, are you going to order or not? You’re holding up the line.”
Lmao. Poor dude, he just wanted to vent to someone.
50mg - Brightness
Every night, Alaria watched the stars.
One evening, a silent brightness bloomed in the sky, pulsing like a heartbeat.
Drawn to it, she walked into the woods beneath its glow.
A flash—then there was nothing.
Only her footprints remained, fading.
The brightness vanished, and Alaria was never seen again.
👀 🛸
Unwelcomed Brightness
No one ever opened the curtains at Carfax Abbey. Until the new maid did. Morning light spilled brightly across the drawing room. The wallpaper blistered. Shadows flinched uneasily. By noon, the girl was gone. The curtains drew themselves at dusk. “Sunlight’s not welcome here,” Renfield whispered. “She broke the pact.”
50 words
That sounds like an AWESOME setting. Are we talking Vampire Abbey, perhaps? 👀
Yup. Straight from Bram Stoker. I was thinking of writing about a knight who polishes his armor so it shines bright as a distraction during battles but… can’t miss out a good vampire plot.
There’s never enough of Vampires
Brightness 50 Words
If only fear was bright and blinding, forcing us to shut and shield our eyes, to look away. Instead, it's dark and indiscernible, luring us to peer deeper, to parse its darker corners, binding our eyes to look closer, squinting while the real threat lurks in the periphery. If only.
That is an amazing use of the prompt Keith! loving it.
50 mg of Brightness
Brightness steadies me—
a lighthouse quiet in the storm,
anchored in knowing.
It reflects my path,
gives form to the unseen,
welcomes breath into movement.
I carry warmth.
I remember direction.
The canyon holds it all—
shadow, shimmer, silence.
And still,
I rise toward what is mine:
light, and becoming.
Thank you Miguel, that’s what I hope to convey. I re-visited an essay from January about Dignity and what I can do for the vision of the future
Her tiny heart, fully in his senses, beat. His magic strengthened it. Still, the heart weakened with each passing pump. He sat by as his little girl, born just recently, slowly slipped away from him. He sensed her heart stop beating, tears slipping past his closed eyes. His brightness faded.
💔 Noo 😭
"The Knight-Errant"
The knight severed the dragon’s head with a masterful stroke of his gleaming sword. Blood splattered onto his glistening armor and shield. He fell to one knee, exhausted, and said a prayer of thanks. He was eager to tell his King that the dragon’s hoard was ripe for the taking.
Should've kept the hoard for himself imho.
Brightness - 50 mg
The brightness in the sky grew. The unfairness struck Peter as he sat on his porch.
“Another dram?” Rich, his friend, held up a bottle.
“Sure.” Peter lifted his empty glass and Rich obliged. “This is quite possibly the best scotch I’ve ever had.”
“No sense in saving it now.”
The best and last he's ever had?
Atomic blast?
50-word story challenge—Prompt: Brightness
When she glares at me, I deserve it. Something I said; something I did. But she wields no ordinary glare. The brightness is so intense I have to wear my shades until, mercifully, she finally burns out. Then I guess it’s up to me to light her up, yet again.
Lmao. Marriage.
April 15 Brightness 50 words
Gideon squinted his eyes against the unfamiliar brightness around him. It was sort of greenish, unlike the cold blue light of his former home. Warm air embraced him like a hug. He leaned into the light. For a guy who was supposed to be dead, he had never felt more alive.
(from a climate fiction things I'm working on)
That last line 👌 chef's kiss.
I long for your brightness
And pine for your lightness,
Though unworthy of your love, my dear.
Night entraps me in tightness,
My eyes heavy and sightless,
My future is painfully clear.
For you'll ere shine in brightness,
Soaring high up with lightness,
Leaving me stranded below with my tears.
LOVE IT!
Thank you!