It’s time for Friday Fictioneers, when writers from around the world post 100-word stories based on a photo prompt provided on Madison Woods‘s blog. This week’s photo is by Maggie Duncan. You can read other Friday Fictioneers’ work (including Maggie’s) by clicking the link that appears below my story.
Up in Smoke
by Jan Brown
Smoke swept swiftly over the hills. In minutes, we could only see the tall shrubs that grew wild beyond our deck. Warning sirens began to bleat with anticlimactic urgency. Between their shrieks and the crackling fire, I could barely hear my neighbor screaming.
She was on her patio, pointing toward the wilderness that abutted our homes. She seemed to be railing against the wildfire, screaming at the sky. No, she was trying to draw my attention to something in the sky. Abruptly, it emerged from the darkening haze: a diminutive metallic sphere shooting sparks of light.
Shooting fire.
Shooting us.
I gasped, breathing in one last mouthful of smoke.
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mezzojan 
Oh oh…alien invasion?!?
I’m afraid so!
Thanks for visiting, Boomie!
Oh those pesky aliens! Always sticking their noses where they don’t belong. Enjoyed this.
Thank you!
Well written and chilling. Thank you for visiting and commenting. I am here for others. http://readinpleasure.wordpress.com/2012/08/23/fridayfictioneers-light-on-the-hill/
Thank you, Celestine!
Scary. I want to read more!
Thanks, Steve!
How odd to say that a well-written sci-fi take is a different take on the prompt! There have been more non-sci-fi stories this time than any in the admittedly short time I’ve been participating. 🙂 But I always know there will be some. Just waiting for Adam’s!! Good job!
Forgot to add that I liked the way you lead us on to believing it was a story about a forest fire or something similar and then BAM (so to speak.)
I’m glad you mentioned that…I was going for the “forest fire misdirect” 😉
Thank you, Janet!
Chilling little piece. I wonder what would happen if aliens actually came in peace…oh yeah, there was E.T. and they tried to dissect him. Never mind. A well written story. Thank you.
here’s mine: http://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/2012/08/22/escape/
Thanks, Rochelle! Your comment is spot on! Enjoyed the excerpt from your novel!
What a unique twist! Did not see that coming. Well done.
Oooh, I like this one–“shooting at us.” Great stuff. Thanks.
Here’s mine: http://unexpectedpaths.com/friday-fictioneers/pillar-of-salt/
Thanks, Maggie, and thanks for the wonderful photo prompt!
This really took off right from the beginning, and then stepped up pace again at the end. Very well done. I’ll remember this piece.
That started somewhere and took to to a completely different place by the end! Lovely story.
Any chance the “diminutive metallic sphere” was a Martian retaliation for Curiosity’s invasion of its space? I agree with the others, you achieved a successful, yet unexpected, transition from the fire to the alien attack.
Thanks, VB!
good job…. enjoyed it
Ooh, this is no ordinary wildfire! Great suspense here, I’m desperate to know what happens next – but maybe the narrator won’t live to tell that tale.
Concrit-wise, I’m not sure about “swept swiftly” – assonance and alliteration that stand out always distract me from the story. But each to their own.
I’m over here; http://elmowrites.wordpress.com/2012/08/24/friday-fictioneers-far-afield/
Thank you for the comments and critique, El. Greatly appreciated!
Brilliant! I love a good invasion. Sounds like the resistance need to get on this one quicksmart.
http://mysocalleddutchlife.wordpress.com/2012/08/24/the-haar-ff-240812/
I was thinking standard wildfire. Lovely twist with the alien invasion!
That was a surprise! After all the fires of the last two summers, who’d have thought the aliens were involved!
Thank you, Kathy!