Tag: Flash fiction

100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups Week # 88

Posted on Posted in flash fiction, Humour, Uncategorized, WritingTagged , , , , 8 Comments

Julia acknowledges that we may take the ‘left field’ with her prompt this week so I saw this as a double edged challenge.

Join in at http://jfb57.wordpress.com/2013/05/06/100-word-challenge-for-grown-ups-week88/

From the Balcony

Parting is such sweet sorrow. Must I utter those words whilst spittle oozes from that pustular mouth? How many times must I spy the rise in his hose and the curl in his leer? He is too long in the tooth to dally as Romeo, canst thou not see? Whilst I, still a mere slip of a boy, I can still appear as a maiden fair, fresh from her mother’s breast.

Good Master Shakespeare, hear my plea, rid me of this Roman. My friend, bring me instead your countryman, the bonny Marlowe, the beauteous serpent to assuage my sorrow. Make haste, on the morrow.

100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups week# 86

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

100WCGU (7)

….. the queue was so long …..

You have another 100 words to add, will you join in this week? Visit Julia at http://jfb57.wordpress.com/2013/04/22/100-word-challenge-for-grown-ups-week86/ for more info.

Soup Kitchen

‘See that tall spire?’ said the woman, who wore layers of scruffy clothes, I nodded, thinking that could be me in a few years, if I’m spared. ‘They have food and beds most nights’ she said. Relieved, I went down the hill, but as the light faded so did my energy.
The path levelled out and the spire disappeared from view. My stomach howled, like the wind that blew rubbish around the cobbled maze of streets. I willed my frozen feet forward. A path opened up; there was the church, salvation at last. But the queue was so long, I waited all night for sustenance.

100Word Challenge for Grown Ups Week # 82

Posted on Posted in Chocolate, flash fictionTagged , , , 18 Comments

Julia says, ‘As Easter is nearly with us and the shops are bulging with it,’ the prompt is:
…looking at all of that chocolate…

Golden Pods

IMG_4138
I stood looking at all of that chocolate and was carried back in time to my childhood home. Then I didn’t know what chocolate tasted like, I just knew the yellow pods had to be harvested and sent away, so that children in other countries could have something called Easter eggs. But eggs came from chickens.   I asked if a chicken was inside. I covered my eyes as father took a machete and aimed, I didn’t want to see a baby chick cut open. Bang, and then there was something creamy. I put my finger in and tasted, so this was chocolate? But what about the eggs?

Join in at http://jfb57.wordpress.com/2013/03/25/100-word-challenge-for-grown-ups-week/

100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups Week# 81

Posted on Posted in flash fiction, WritingTagged , , 16 Comments

100WCGU (7)Julia says . . .

‘I don’t know about you but things seem very odd in the meteorological system! The weather is not behaving as it should anywhere in the world. Cue for the prompt:

…the unseasonal weather meant …’

Muddy Hindrance

The unseasonal weather meant that I could really have done with my boots, but I’d left them behind in my panic. Over and over my feet slid and at one point I nearly fell headlong into the canal. Toby wasn’t strong enough to help very much but at least he could shine the torch on the towpath for me. Every few feet there was a crunch as I stepped on a pocket of ice glazing the mud.

Finally we passed the lock.

‘You’ll never treat anyone like that again will you dad? Goodbye, you bastard.’ With one big shove his body sank into the deepest water.

Join in at http://jfb57.wordpress.com/2013/03/18/100-word-challenge-for-grown-ups-week81/

100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups Week# 76

Posted on Posted in flash fiction, short storyTagged , , , 14 Comments

Julia says the prompt wrote itself after last weeks. As I only just wrote week 75 I decided to continue where I left off.

On Time part 2

She was entranced by you from the start; my daughter, usually so reticent, actually allowed you to take her hand. In the café Macey giggled with a child on the next table, and you, well you didn’t seem to know who to look at first.

            She is mine isn’t she? You asked, squeezing my hand. If I’d wanted to keep it secret I would have. I caught Macey looking from you to me, and back again, wondering.

You gradually moved into our lives from that day, but I can’t help asking myself what’s beneath the surface? Did you choose both of us or Macey?

http://jfb57.wordpress.com/2013/02/04/100-word-challenge-for-grown-ups-week76/#comment-14662

100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups Week# 75

Posted on Posted in flash fiction, short story, WritingTagged , , 13 Comments

Julia gave us this image of the Grand Canyon for the prompt this week and I’m very late! But anyway this  is my 103 words. image011

On Time

So this is it. February 4th 2013 and I’m early, ever cautious. I was worried that you’d wait just a few minutes and then give up.

I have to get off this platform, it’s making me feel sick, or perhaps it’s just butterflies. Yes that’s it. Why did I come? Maybe you won’t. Crazy idea, you probably forgot straight away. Ten years ago, my birthday.

I should have told you.

About Macey.

I see you, now’s your chance to turn right around.

Bella you look wonderful. And this pretty lady?

You look about nine years old.

You smile at yourself in Macey’s eyes.

http://jfb57.wordpress.com/2013/01/28/100-word-challenge-for-grown-ups-week75/

Oops I see that the new prompt has arrived!

100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups Week# 73

Posted on Posted in flash fiction, WritingTagged , , , 7 Comments

100wcgu-7
I’ve missed the challenge for a few weeks but hope to get back to regular entries. This week Julia’s prompt is ‘the notes from the piano‘ and here is my attempt.

Gap Year
They picked up the notes from the piano, each scrabbling to get the one with their name on.
Joanna
I know you’ll miss me little sis but that’s no excuse to flunk your A level’s, be good and maybe in your gap year…

Josh, pack it in right?
Dear mum
Beth and I are going to India. I’ve had all my jabs. Try not to worry, I’ll be fine. See you in a year; I’ll skype you.
Lots of love

Daddeeee please could you look after my fish? And drive my car sometimes? With love from your big girl xxx

CPW’s Picture prompt

Posted on Posted in Creative writing, flash fiction, WritingTagged , , , , 40 Comments

Last week I went for a lunchtime walk with Crazy Polish Woman who complained that my blog is full of photos and not much writing these days. I explained that I have to keep my best writing for the course I’m studying, and to build up a body of work, but I do try to do the 100 word challenge most weeks, because flash fiction isn’t too trying.

Back at my desk she emailed me this picture, with the question ‘What is happening here?’

Desktop

The picture, by Charles Sims is called ‘and the fairies ran away with their clothes’ . But this is what I think is happening, what do you think?

Small Saboteurs

Now my love I want you to listen carefully.

You see these pretty little creatures at my feet? Well they are my small saboteurs and they lived with me for a long time. In the beginning they smiled and told me I was a silly little girl. But gradually they started to change. They said I was stupid, a hopeless case and that I would never get anywhere in life, and I believed them and became just that, hopeless.

Next they said I was ugly, and that I was getting fat. And so I never smiled, I screwed my face into a frown, turned my mouth down and ate and ate until I thought I would burst.

Worst of all, was when they told me that no one would ever love me. So I made sure that no one would, I behaved very badly.

Still my small saboteurs told me how bad I was, they all shouted at once and gave me such a headache that I shouted back, ‘Stop it, shut up and go away,’ I was very angry. They fell silent and huddled together, so I quickly put them in my hat and locked it in my drawer.

I felt a little better right away, and the very next day I met a handsome man, who said that I had a pretty smile. I smiled at myself in the mirror, turning from side to side, and saw that I had a tiny bit of prettiness, so I smiled wider!

The handsome man was always kind to me, and before I knew it, he said that he loved me and wanted me to be his wife. I was so happy that I forgot all about the small saboteurs, and then along you came.

So I want you to know that if ever a saboteur speaks to you, they speak untruths, and you must never believe them. I’ve taken these creatures out of the drawer and I’m going to drop them in the old well one by one, never to be seen or heard again.

 

 

 

 

100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups Week# 69

Posted on Posted in flash fiction, short story, WritingTagged , , 6 Comments

This is the prompt over at Julia’s place this week, a hundred word story, poem or whatever springs to mind is the challenge.

Too late for some

I don’t know how you could eat that. Have you forgotten what we saw in the rain forest? Palm oil devastation? What about our pact to spread the word, to let our friends know, hoping that the circle of awareness would spread ever wider? When did your career become more important than us? It’s a bit like Eltsen isn’t it? putting growth and market domination before what really matters. Well soon there will be no rain forest but I’m not swallowing it, not sitting here while our relationship dies. You eat your Tik-Tak, if that matters more to you than an Orang-utan.

100 Word Challenge For Grown Ups Week# 68

Posted on Posted in England, flash fiction, HistoryTagged , , , , 12 Comments

Poor Julia has been feeling a bit rough and her prompt this week is very apt. GREY, simply one word. Now what to do with it?

Blue and Grey

I was headless for years, until that Smith cast me a new one. I must say, without a head it was more fun scaring people. What’s a ghost boy to do? They looked at my statue and I would spring forth. A grey version of the Blue Boy, they’d jump out of their skin. That’s when they decided to exorcise me. So we had a spirit party, surrounded them we did, all the dead orphan boys from St John’s. They won’t try that again in a hurry.

Now there are several in the city, handsome, shiny and blue, statues of me.

A little background for you. When I was little I used to see this statue of the Blue Boy in the old Princesshay and always loved it. 

It disappeared for a few years when the shopping centre was rebuilt but now its back in almost the same spot as before.

It’s said that the Blue Boy was created on the site of St John’s Hospital School which dates back to 1633. They weren’t orphans though, it was a school for the privileged. The boys wore a uniform of blue caps and gowns and were nicknamed Blue Boys. The original statue was made of stone and by 1830 it was actually headless! It’s head was replaced and it now resides in Exeter School grounds. Four cast iron Blue boys were made in the 1850’s, the one above and three more are in the Exeter area.

Come and join in at Julia’s place