Category: flash fiction

100 Word Challenge For Grown Ups Week# 52

Posted on Posted in Creative writing, flash fiction, short story, Uncategorized, WritingTagged , , , , 19 Comments

Julia seems to think that the challenge she has set this week is easy, maybe you would like to try it out, it certainly wasn’t easy for me. I couldn’t find words to go before together the flames and I think i have cheated because altogether can only be one word? Anyway here goes.

Flames

On the day before I became a widow, I caught the London train for a weekend with the girls. Oh how we laughed that evening, fuelled with cocktails, sharing the events of the last year. New jobs, new grandchildren, and Stella’s new romance with Paul from Woodleigh comprehensive, he wouldn’t get away this time. Paul’s ex-wife had moved to my village, she could be the one I see walking the schnauzer.

Over breakfast we saw the BBC Devon news.

‘The bodies of a man and woman were found in the bedroom of the middle cottage; all together the flames destroyed three homes.’

Link back to Julia’s Place.to see the other entries.

Friday Fictioneers

Posted on Posted in Creative writing, flash fiction, short story, WritingTagged , , , , , , , 18 Comments

Madison has posted a challenging photo prompt this week and this is my contribution. If you would like to visit her to read the other entries go to http://madison-woods.com/photo-prompt-for-the-fridayfictioneers-5/

Running Water

‘There you go my dear, now all you have to do is turn on the tap and you can have running water whenever you want.’

‘Turn it on whenever I want? That’s lovely.’

‘Now how do you manage about baths? You’d qualify for a council grant at your age.’

‘Oh I just fill the copper up in July, that’s my birthday I’ll be ninety two you know, and it doesn’t take long to fill my hip bath. Now lad I’m going down the garden to get some water from the well, so I’ll show you out at the same time.’

Friday Fictioneers: Grapevine

Posted on Posted in Creative writing, flash fiction, WritingTagged , , , , , 15 Comments

I’ve missed Madison’s 100 word Friday photo prompt                                      http://madison-woods.com/2012/07/18/ for a couple of weeks but this time I’ve made it. This maybe a little dark, so I’m sorry, I don’t wish to offend. The photo seems innocent enough, but look closely, see how the tendrils can wrap around and strangle.

grapevine

Riesling

The vine, its naked now, stripped of its treasures, its small Riesling bullets. The master likes to watch while we crush them in the old way; it’s his tradition to make something special for himself. And as he watches, he finishes last year’s reserve.

It started off well, he was in good humour, but as always, it turned to bad. I thought I would die last night; drown on crushed grapes, I prayed to the Lord to take me. Grapes filled my nose, ears, eyes and mouth, while he filled me.

He doesn’t know where I emptied his night water today.

100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups# 50

Posted on Posted in Creative writing, Exeter, flash fiction, WritingTagged , , , , , , , 16 Comments

Week 50, but Julia has focussed on the weather instead of a golden anniversary, with her prompt, … the rain turned the road into a river… 

and here is my entry. There will be more over at http://jfb57.wordpress.com/2012/07/16/100-word-challenge-for-grown-ups-week-50/  and maybe you would like to join in.

Bridge Memories

It could only be ugly, you only have to see how they built that block of flats over Whipton way. Eight stories high, where do they hang their washing?

‘Come on mum. Let’s join the crowd and walk across for the first time.’ I didn’t want to, horrid concrete.

‘Look Shirley, see how lovely it was, back when I was a girl. Your dad and me did our courting there, fifty years ago.’ 

‘Huh, every year in St Thomas, the rain turned the road into a river’ she said barely looking at my photo, ‘Now there’s the flood channel and this new bridge. I won’t be long then.’

Photo is from http://demolition-exeter.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/edwardian-exe-bridge.html where Wolfpaw has discussed the copyright.

100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups Week# 49

Posted on Posted in Creative writing, flash fiction, Games, WritingTagged , , , , , 12 Comments

‘This week is another simple prompt but please forgive me for making it topical to us here in the UK.

….Murray was just about to serve for the Championship when…’

says Julia, over at http://jfb57.wordpress.com/ pop across to join in!

Schizoid Match

Murray was just about to serve for the Championship when they arrived. The voices. All three this time and they were arguing like mad.

‘He has to have new tennis shoes; he’s going through the toes of last year’s.’ Tut.

‘I need shin pads, for Saturday, we’re playing Westchester.’ Get out of my head Aidan.

‘Listen, listen, no-one ever needed this stuff, need is about hunger, a roof over our heads.’ Dad shut up.

‘Murray will put the roof over our heads one day, the boy is gifted.’ No pressure then mum.

‘Ha, even he doesn’t believe that.’

The racquet thudded to the ground. You’re right dad I don’t.

100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups # Week 48

Posted on Posted in Creative writing, flash fiction, WritingTagged , , , , 10 Comments

I missed last weeks challenge. I used the excuse of being away, but actually it was just too difficult. This week Julia has returned to her more usual prompt of a few words . . . I blamed it on the dog  . . . much more my scene. If you would like to join in, or read some of the other entries, pop across to http://jfb57.wordpress.com/2012/07/02/100-word-challenge-for-grown-ups-week-48/

Meanwhile here is my entry.

A Bit of a Tickle

‘Forty years, that’s how long I’ve known her. I never thought she’d leave me. There’s not a day we’ve been apart. We never wanted kids – decided it would be just the two of us.’

‘Sorry mate, I’m not one for weeping, never had cause, we’ve always been so happy.’ The man, who looked far too young for that kind of work averted his eyes and muttered ‘No worries.’

‘She had a bit of a tickle, touch of allergy she said. I think I’ll be following her; I can’t live with this guilt you see. Passive smoking causes cancer. That cough, I blamed it on the dog.’

Friday Fictioneers, On the Nose

Posted on Posted in Creative writing, flash fiction, Wildlife, WritingTagged , , , , , , 44 Comments

Madison’s  challenge has this photo today http://madisonwoods.wordpress.com/flash-fiction/pathways/ joining in is fun, lots of great flash fiction to read. Here is mine.

woods

On the Nose

‘She has the scent already,’ the sow pulled Emil sharply right, nearly pulling him over.

‘Ouch, why can’t you stay on the path in the light?’Jean-Francois followed laughing, as the pig thrust her snout into the leaf mould, her tail corkscrewing frantically.

‘I can’t smell a thing, but I can see something black down there.’  The boys rummaged in beside her and didn’t hear the footsteps back on the path, but a resounding snort registered. They turned and faced the biggest wild boar ever.

‘It’s old Napoleon, he thinks these are his truffles . . . run for your life.’

100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups Week# 45

Posted on Posted in Cultural exchanges, flash fiction, WritingTagged , , , 33 Comments

Julia’s little treat this week is the prompt ‘there’s a real buzz about this place’, as usual I’m a little off the wall but here goes.

A Chance to Dance

So many nationalities. I’m the only one from Pakistan. My friends back home have dared me. ‘Don’t travel all that way and do as you do at home’ said Jamila. ‘Taste the alcohol and come back and tell us about it, let your hair down’, from Rashida and Yasmin together. It’s my last night and I haven’t done anything radical, nothing that Ammi would be ashamed of, but there’s a real buzz about this place and I may never get another chance. This Niqab is coming off now; I’m going to dance with a man who can see my face.

There will be lots more entries to read over at http://jfb57.wordpress.com/2012/06/11/100-word-challenge-for-grown-ups-week45/

Friday Fictioneers, Beautiful and Grey

Posted on Posted in Creative writing, flash fiction, short story, WritingTagged , , , , 25 Comments

http://madisonwoods.wordpress.com/ has a weekly challenge with a photo this time,

This is my 100 words, maybe you would like to pop across and join in?

‘Look, there’s a lovely green butterfly and an ugly grey moth’ Beth tugged on her grandmother’s sleeve and led her along the path.

‘I can’t see no ugly moth honey, only a pretty butterfly and a beautiful moth.’

‘It’s dull Grandma’

‘Look real close; see the lovely patterns and different shades of grey?’

‘Uh huh,’ Beth screwed up her eyes.

‘See honey, God made lots of creatures that are beautiful in different ways, green, red,  grey, in all shapes and sizes.’

‘Grandma, your hair is all sorts of pretty grey,’ she reached to feel a curl, ‘did God make it?’

 

 

100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups Week# 43

Posted on Posted in Creative writing, flash fiction, short story, WritingTagged , , , 37 Comments

Pop over to Julia’s if you would like to try the weekly 100 word challenge http://jfb57.wordpress.com/2012/05/21/100-word-challenge-for-grown-ups-week43/

The prompt this week is ‘The flame flickered before . . .’ and here are my 100 words,

A Cautionary Tale

‘The Flame Flickered Before Her Eyes and Other Stories’ by Randy Walton, ‘What? That’s weird Sal, look. I’m going in.’

‘It’s just a coincidence honey.’

‘But it looks like my photo as well.’

The bell above the door made the shopkeeper briefly raise his head from his own reading, then he tutted when Margi stood over him.

‘This book, it’s self published right?’

‘Yeah and it’s very successful, been at the top of the short fiction charts for weeks. Everyone’s reading short stuff these days.’

Margi turned to the contents page. Twelve short stories. Her short stories, all of them.