Two Flash Fiction and One Poem

In the spirit of Hallowe’en, we’ve selected two pieces of flash fiction and one poem, all with a ghost theme. Because not many people have written true events of ghost stories, at least in flash form, we had to forego our creative nonfiction pick for the week and instead focussed on flash fiction. Although, if you’ve read some of our previous selections of short reads, this one by Madeline Anthes comes pretty close.

The first selection, written by Meghan Phillips is flash fiction piece about what a ghost does when no one is looking. It’s fantastic.

Our first male to make it to this series is a write named Joaquin Fernandez. This story centres around a ghost who watches a couple from inside their house. It’s creepy and mesmerizing at the same time.

For our poetry selection, we’ve selected a work by Arlene Tribbia. It has a little bit of nostalgia mixed in with eeriness.

Let us know in the comments which one is your favourite.

Two Flash & One Poem – Our Selection of Riveting Reads

• “Rules,” by Meghan Phillips

“Mary plays MASH at the bottom of the lake. She uses little stones to spell out MASH. This takes a long time. She uses a waterlogged stick to write out the rest of the categories: number of future children, future mode of transportation, future husband, future job….”

Meghan Phillips

• “As the Smoke Took Her,” by Joaquin Fernandez

“The ghost stirred in the attic on the day they moved onto the farm, with their deep sighs and dropped boxes. Curious as always, the ghost peeked at them through the floorboards, her black mouth huge and heavy with a deep wind moan….”

Joaquin Fernandez

• “Ghost: A Poem,” by Arlene Tribbia

“It would wander the hallways after the 3:45 bell,
after the last class, after the students had all
disappeared with the homework they’d never finish, the
papers they’d forget to write….”

Arlene Tribbia

Which one of these is your favourite? Let us know in the comments.

-Isabel & Marilyn