Win Cash Prizes & Get Professional Feedback @ Flash Fiction Magazine
Learn More
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

101 Words

101 Word Short Stories

  • Subscribe
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Volunteer

The Invisible Beast

June 23, 2025 5 Comments

By Kera Hollow

The buzzing in my ears starts precisely at three. The witching hour, but nothing as docile as a witch could cause this level of anxiety.

I drag the comforter over my head and ignore the bead of sweat at my temple and the heat growing on my neck. The buzzing hums close, pressing itself like sleep paralysis to my chest. I throw the blankets off, sit in the dark, and wait for the invisible beast to attack again. My eyes attempt to repaint my room. With attention drawn elsewhere, the enemy finds my ear and I strike.

God, I hate mosquitoes.

Share this:

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • More
  • Share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram
  • Share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon
  • Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp
  • Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Share on Nextdoor (Opens in new window) Nextdoor
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest

The Power of Imagery with Nina Schuyler

September 12 & 13 on Zoom
Enrollment closes Thursday, September 3 at 7:00 PM Pacific

If your descriptions are vivid but your stories still feel thin, this workshop is for you.

Join award-winning author Nina Schuyler to learn the difference between description, which tells a reader what things look like, and imagery, which carries plot, character, and meaning at the same time.

In just two days, you'll learn to choose images that hold emotion without naming it, pair them so each one deepens the other, and build patterns that gather meaning as the story moves.

Learn More and Enroll

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sharon Murphy says

    June 25, 2025 at 7:19 am

    This made me smile. They love me!!

    Reply
    • Kera Hollow says

      June 25, 2025 at 7:39 pm

      Haha I’m so glad it did! Thank you for reading. ^^

      Reply
  2. Jo Gatenby says

    June 25, 2025 at 1:57 pm

    OMG me too! Who can sleep with little Miss Mosquito humming her, ‘coming to get you’ buzz? Well done!

    Reply
    • Kera Hollow says

      June 25, 2025 at 7:40 pm

      It’s my waking nightmare~ haha. Thank you for taking the time to read!

      Reply
  3. marie says

    July 13, 2025 at 1:19 am

    love the twist

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Search Stories

The end.