2025 February Flash Fiction Challenge: Day 25

For today’s prompt, write a story from a villain’s perspective.

(Note: If your story gets flagged for review, be patient—we will be releasing comments every few hours throughout the weekdays of this challenge. Our system randomly flags comments for review, so just sit tight and wait for us to set it free! If you run into any other issues with posting your story, please just send me an e-mail at mrichard@aimmedia.com with the subject line: Flash Fiction Challenge Commenting Issue.)

Here’s my attempt at a story from a villain’s perspective:

The Beast

The townspeople screamed the moment I stepped foot inside the town limits. I stalked forward, watching them scatter and scramble to get farther away from me.

One small figure crouched in the center of the cobblestoned street. My shadow stretched and loomed over the child, their back to me

“Oh, Beast!” one woman wailed. “Not him!”

The child turned and squinted up at me, a pout screwing his mouth to the side. I stared down at him, breathing hard.

He stood and held his hand out to me. After a moment, I stretched forward, opening my claws to reveal the soft palm of my hand.

He dropped something in my hand. A stone, smooth as glass, reflecting my visage on its surface.

The boy turned and pantomimed throwing the stone. I looked up and saw a small pile of them halfway down an alleyway, and further down, a bucket.

The boy turned back and stared at me expectantly.

I pulled my arm back. The woman screamed and the thud of her body hitting the ground reverberated as she fainted. I pitched the stone.

The boy pumped his small fists in the air, his mouth opening in a soundless whoop as the stone landed in the bucket.

My smile cracked over my fangs.