'Jakov and Danijela’s Final Scam' by Birgit K. Gaiser

"Look at those crazies booking midnight cleansings!" 

"Quiet! They'll hear you!"

The next morning, their bodies washed up at the riverbank.

'The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog' by D X Lewis

but lands in the mouth of a hungry Rottweiler.

Speed ain’t everything.

RIP Mr Fox.

'Frenzy' by Suzie Broughton

Inhale, exhale, count to ten. Equip your mind before nerves jangle and lodge in your heart. The black demon zooms in with the knife of ferocity until you are shrouded in death.

'East Los Payday on Sixth Street Bridge' by Michael R Evans

Rich people built it with big loopy things, crazy bright lights to show off for the Olympics. We did a quick takeover with bikes and low-riders. Juanito’s a wiz and opened a panel to put copper wires in my pickup until every LED goes dark. Gonna get Itzel and the kids a place across the LA River by them tall buildings.

'Alphabetical Juncture' by Jean Feingold

Query co-workers before the Zoom meeting. Print extra agendas in a cursive font.

'Mayberry' by Willow Woo

Alastair the crocodile spits up five dogs as Ines the walking yarn zebra meanders, noticeably lasting burps. He putters, tiptoes home, and shoots oopsie whoopsie rounds just to keep quiet egos in vexing X.

'Lumber Jack' by Julia Goodlet

Zack paced quickly, axe swinging as rain tumbled down, drenching him. Jovial, in the flow.

'Sleep Over' by Maria Sanger

Hazel picked up the sticks and hit the xylophone bars with all the strength her nine and three quarter years could muster. Her aim was projection rather than subtlety. Squashed egg and cress that was a little too historic flew out from under the bars onto the zebra-striped pouffe my mother had brought back from Tunisia.

'I'm going to sleep over at Harriett's house tonight,' she announced proudly. 

'Harriett's mum doesn't do egg sandwiches.'

'Zoning' by A.M. Udy

There was a small hamlet by the shore under the bridge to Quail. Cartographers lacked imagination and the county had been populated by the small birds. Over there zoning allowed for nature to still exist. It’s hard not to be jealous from the city.

'Meet Me Half Way' by Emily Macdonald

Bring your intuition, your zen-like demeanour, your pragmatism, your keen need for justice, your quick sense of humour. We’ll examine this problem from all angles. Most of all, bring your love.

'The Quick Brown Foxes' by Pam Makin

They were the quiet girls, until they formed an extreme jazz punk cover band.

'Witness Protection' by Rachel Burrows

In summary, began the judge, staring at the prosecutor, it wasn’t queueing in the extreme heat that killed Dr Lomez, it was the knowledge of who would serve her when she got there.

'Sled Dogs' by Michele Catalano

She turns to a book of poetry called Drunk Drivers Always Have the Right of Way, settles on a quick one called “Tale of the Yukon;” four lines, one stanza, a poem ending with a man eating his sled dogs. She reaches for the gin, gets up to vomit. The floor spins and she spins with it and then she is on the floor face to face with her quizzical cat and she thinks she just might die there, she might never get up, and her cat will eat her before making its exit and, later, someone would write a four line, one stanza poem about her.

NFFD 2026 Prompt #20: The Span

 

Prompt #20: The Span

Welcome to The Write-In!  This year, we're celebrating the 2026 National Flash Fiction Day Anthology theme of Bridges. Throughout National Flash Fiction Day, we'll be posting one prompt every hours from 00:00 until midnight (BST), for a total of 25 prompts in all.  You have until 23:59 BST on Sunday to submit your responses for possible publication here at the Write-In over the course of the next week.

*

A bridge spans the distance between two points crossing a gap. 

For this prompt, write the shortest possible flash that you can manage that spans all 26 letters of the alphabet:  you must use each letter of the alphabet at least once.  

Make sure to give your flash a title, and yes, letters used in the title count.  

You can double check your letters here: https://legacy.cryptool.org/en/cto/frequency-analysis (and don't forget to click the 'Sort alphabetically' option at the top right for convenience).

*

If you’re submitting this to us, make sure to note that this is a response to Prompt 20: The Span

You can submit responses until 23:59 BST on Sunday, 14 June 2026 for a chance to be published here at The Write-In.

You can claim the badge for this prompt by visiting our badges page.

---

Image by Mike van Schoonderwalt via pexels.