“The Coven of the Antelabbit” — FWG Flash Fiction for 10/18/2025
- Rob Johnson
- Oct 24
- 2 min read
Some folks will just believe anything. BTW, I figured I'd add a few words to my vocabulary this week.
The prompt is:
THE COVEN OF THE ANTELABBIT
When the woman wearing a black robe with its hood up and pulled forward to hide her face stepped out of the forest into the clearing, Jenny couldn’t help snickering. That earned her a poke in the ribs from Ron’s elbow.
“You said you’d behave,” he hissed. “This is important.”
“To you, maybe,” Jenny hissed back.
The black-clad woman at least pretended not to hear their tête-à-tête. She knelt among the candles and pumpkins that were set precariously on the moss, leaves, and twigs that covered the forest floor.
“Hope she doesn’t burn the place down,” Jenny mumbled, then dodged another elbow jab.
“On this, the first full moon following Beltain,” the woman intoned, “we gather to test these new initiates into our ancient coven.”
She raised her head to face Ron and Jenny, although her face was still shrouded in shadows.
“These rites have been handed down through the generations, and the knowledge they contain must be held secret against the outside world. Do you swear to never bear witness of tonight’s events?”
“I do,” Ron solemnly responded.
“Ah, sure,” Jenny said, then added sotto voce, “No one would believe me, anyway.”
Ignoring Jenny’s snidery, the witchy woman turned away from the meager candles and opened the large satchel slung over her shoulder. She slowly drew a tall object from it as Jenny strained to see what she was holding.
“Once you gaze upon the impresa of our coven, you will be bound to us as sisters to brothers.”
Brothers and sisters? I guess Ron won’t be getting anymore from me then, Jenny thought.
The witch turned back into the candlelight holding the skull of a small animal with antlers that projected high into the air.
“Behold the embodiment of—”
“Oh, my God,” Jenny cried. “Jackalopes are real!”
THE END
Today’s FWG flash fiction prompt inspired a peculiar tale:
"The Coven of the Antelabbit"
In the forest’s hidden glade, a small coven of antelabbits gathered under the pale moonlight. Their ears twitched in unison, sensing the magic that hummed in the soil beneath their hooves. Each night, they practiced subtle enchantments — not the loud, grand spells of humans, but tiny manipulations of time, shadow, and wind.
No traveler ever saw them, yet every spring, flowers bloomed in impossible patterns, rivers bent just so, and lost items found their way back to their owners. The Antelabbit Coven worked quietly, benevolent but mischievous, weaving small miracles into the world that no one could explain — until tonight, when a curious human…
This was fun to read! I loved the mix of spooky and humorous moments, especially Jenny’s reactions. The idea of a coven with a jackalope skull is both creepy and clever.
This was such a fun twist at the end, the buildup felt serious and atmospheric, and then Jenny’s reaction completely broke the tension in the best way. The mix of humor, ritual, and that perfectly timed punchline made it super enjoyable to read. Great pacing for a short piece.
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Ignoring Jenny’s snidery, the witchy woman turned away from the candles and pulled a mysterious object from her satchel. Just like calling a rotterdam slotenmaker in a moment of urgency, she seemed to know exactly what tool she needed to unlock the next step of her strange ritual.