It's here, the first Campaigner Challenge hosted by Rach at Rach Writes. Here's what we have to do:

Write a short story/flash fiction story in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, including a poem. Begin the story with the words, “Shadows crept across the wall”. These five words will be included in the word count.

If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional), do one or more of these:

end the story with the words: "everything faded." (also included in the word count)

include the word "orange" in the story

write in the same genre you normally write

make your story 200 words exactly!

I did it! And I can check off every one of those things- I ended with everything faded, I used orange, it's 200 words exactly, and it's in my genre! Go me, go me.
So for my flash fiction, this is like an added scene to my MS Daze and Knights (this doesn't actually appear in the MS). Or it could be like a dream scene. Anyway, here it is...

Shadows crept across the wall. Flickering light from the torches looked like orange flames licking the stone walls. I bent down and patted my boot, checking for my dagger. Lord Purvis was still out there, still bent on revenge. I wouldn’t let him corner me again.

Rounding the corner, I came to a sudden stop. A figure was hiding in the shadows.

I took a slow step back. The figure shifted. Then lunged.

The dagger was in my hand in a flash, the engraved ‘A’ pressing against my palm. My arm swung forward, the dagger reaching for my attacker.

A gloved hand caught my wrist. A man loomed over me. I pounded on his chest with my free hand.

“Easy.” Lord Alric’s face appeared out of the shadows.

I sighed, the air loosening my body. I looked up at Lord Alric to see his lips twitching. I stiffened.

“Let me go.”

He raised his eyebrows but dropped my wrists from his grip.

My hands balled into fists. “You. Scared. The. Crap. Out. Of. Me.” I punctuated each word with a pound on his chest.

He smiled. “Allow me to apologize.”

He leaned forward. His lips joined with mine.

Everything faded.