ATA Flash Fiction Winner

Our 2018 - Week 11 Winner is ...

I am grateful, and amazed at the quality of work our entrants put in each week and this week was no different. Three delightful entries, three great stories...

The entries:

Mark A. Morris - Face-off

In this story, you seemed to combine not only a face-off between two people, but two spirits/forces as well - restraint vs spirit - power vs control. you paint a very vivid picture with your words and leave us with a very thought provoking question... live in defeat or die in the attempt.

Mil Ana · One and One Εquals One or Two

Another delightful story. You paint a picture of an unending struggle between two should be lovers... doomed to return and fight... 'till death... and then they remain two... until it starts all over again. The ending was profound and beautiful.

Rachel Fultz - The Imposter

The final story of our collection, and it did not disappoint. You have a very intriguing story here on one level, it is the unmasking of an imposter.. but on the other all I can think of is the imposter syndrome... and how at times we are forced to reveal ourselves before we feel we are ready.

These are all great stories and you should be proud, I know I am because I have had the privileged of reading your stories and the daunting task of judging them.

This week's winner is:

Mil Ana - One and One Εquals One or Two

We’re one. Two of a kind. Inseparable lovers. Fated to be together, until death do us part. Then, we become two. Two of a crime. Disconnected components of the same machine. Doomed to remain broken, until repairs are performed.

That’s when we cross the bridge. The pain of falling apart feels less excruciating when we stand on it.

We come always in costumes, or uniforms, depending on circumstances. We dress as swans, or warriors, or even as birds. We sometimes come in armors, on chariots, carrying our spears and shields, pointing at each other, as if we were the worst of enemies.

We enter the bridge from different sides. We meet in the middle. Only then do we lift our eyes to face each other. There comes the most crucial moment. That’s when we measure our strength. When we see our weakest points. Behind the masks we hide, yet the sparks cannot be hidden. Sparks of passion or contempt.

The battle may seem like a passionate dance to the unsuspecting eye. Yet the pain feels real. Covered under the mask. Suppressed under the uniform. The result remains unknown, until the end. One and one equals one or two?

And the battle goes on and on. Until one of us surrenders and admits defeat.

Then we leave the bridge embraced, proud to be one again, defying arithmetic rules, against all odds. We throw away the costumes, secretly wishing that one day, one of us will be strong enough to burn that bridge and free us.

Congratulations all and thank you, again for sharing your stories with us.

I look forward to reading more from you!

Tune in at noon Saturday for a new challenge

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