The Molotov Cocktail has long occupied a distinct corner of the literary landscape, favoring work that is speculative, strange, and unafraid of the grotesque. Flash Monster the 13th continues this tradition, calling for flash fiction that operates within a tight constraint—no more than 1,000 words, with a stated preference for 750 or fewer. The contest is open to all disciplines, though the medium here is strictly literary: short, sharp bursts of narrative that can accommodate horror, science fiction, slipstream, and other modes that resist easy categorization. The entry fee is $12, and submissions are judged with authors' names concealed, ensuring that selection is based solely on the merit of the work. The winner receives a cash prize and the title of Flash Monster 2026 winner, though the exact amount is not specified in the provided information. Copyright remains with the author, and the organizers reserve the right to extend the deadline, with a likely 'Slacker Special' extension that carries a higher fee. AI-generated content is explicitly prohibited. What distinguishes this opportunity is its commitment to a particular aesthetic: the weird, the dark, the formally adventurous. The contest is not for those seeking conventional literary recognition, but for writers who thrive in the margins, who can conjure a world in under a thousand words and leave a lingering unease. The blind judging process and the emphasis on brevity suggest a curatorial vision that values craft, originality, and a willingness to take risks.