Writings to Stem Your Existential Dread

Introduction There are several types of people who read Anthologies. Some will thumb it open to the first story and begin devouring the tales. Others check the Table of Contents for a likely sounding title. The best kind of reader, of course, starts with the Introduction. It is my honor to present to you, Dear Reader, this collection of flash fiction. For the unacquainted, flash is an ultra-short story. While the typical short story clocks in between two to ten thousand words, flash is much briefer. Many contributions to this initial volume of Stem Your Existential Dread are either a thousand or even a mere three hundred words. Moreover, these tales are prompted: specific elements—genre, device, or object—had to be incorporated into the narrative in a seamless manner. *** Flash is surprisingly difficult, for both writers and readers. The writer must present character and situation, stripping away every unnecessary description. The conflict has to be confined to an urgent now, no onions with layers upon layers available for peeling back. Resolution is quick and final. The reader may be initially shocked when confronted with flash stories. There is no rich tapestry of characters, no involved world-building. Scarlett is not afforded a lingering farewell to her beloved Tara. Instead, we are gifted with lightning strikes: our mind’s eye momentarily blinded after glimpsing curious events and a tsunami of emotions. This deal with the devil takes away words, but they were dross compared to what remains: the heart of the story. Herein, you will encounter fragments of worlds which will leave you awestruck. Ghosts and grimmer creatures whiten our knuckles. Gods and devils complicate our existence. Rings promise magic treasure or love. Oh, and Love! It is displayed in all its forms: unrequited, returned unabashedly, adolescent-sweaty, and in parental devotion. No matter which tale you select, an emotional ride awaits you. Is that thunder in the distance? Read on, and enjoy the first of many lightning strikes. Trond E. Hildahl November, 2017