Welcome to the September Blog Hop! Celebrate the beginning of fall with me and my blogger friends by hopping around and visiting our sites. There are lots of prize to be given away. The contest ends Saturday night at midnight, September 24, 2011.

First Challenge of the Third Writing Campaign

The first challenge of the Third Writing Platform-Building Campaign is to write a flash fiction story in 200 words or less, with the opening words: The door swung open.  Here's mine in exactly 200 words.

Shadow Curse

The door swung open. An evil, dark form filled the doorway. “May I come in?”

Lisa motioned for him to enter.

The putrid stench of the filthy demon filled my lungs when I sucked in a deep breath. I tried to shout a warning, but the words caught in my throat.

Patches of scraggly black hair stuck out of the rotting flesh that covered his body. Scabs flaked off and fell to the floor as he walked to the center of the room. His blood filled eyes held me with a piercing glare.

“Lisa.” I reached for her. “Go in the bathroom and lock the door.”

“What’s wrong?” She grabbed my hand.

“Don’t you know who that is?”

“Yes.” Her tone contained only a hint of concern. “I know who he is.”

“Get out of here, Lisa.”

“No. You get out.” The demon’s voice boomed in my ears. His gnarled, bony hand wrapped around Lisa’s arm. His other back–handed me across the face.

The force of the blow lifted me from the floor and flung me against the wall. My body crumpled onto the rug. Blackness crept into the edges of my vision.

“Brendon!” Lisa’s screams filled the air.