the writing on the wall: #FridayFictioneers

PHOTO PROMPT © Jean L. Hays

the writing on the wall

the way i hear it the dam coming apart was what took out most people around drowned or washed away but travelers passing by or those we questioned before shooting them said it was the earth quaking and moving that did the dirty leaving me confused what to believe any more water swamping the outlier citys huricanes killer tornadoes plagues of insects rodents and more running for their lives while snatching away our lives when they had the chance it makes me sicker then I already am i have the wall behind me and a roof over my head amen

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Author’s Note: Howdy. Been a month plus. I was involved with the AtoZ Blogging Challenge which took up all of my time. 36,061 words written between 26 posts, every day of April except Sundays. Phew. If you want to check it out, it is a serialized story called A Car In The Woods.

Start from the beginning, otherwise it won’t make much sense after the fourth post. Reflection post follows.

It’s #Friday Fictioneers prompt time, as always created and hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields on her blog, Addicted To Purple.

The rules are simple if you’d like to join in:

1. 1. Use the photo on Addicted to Purple as your prompt (goes up on Wednesday).
   2. Write a 100 word story, complete with beginning, middle, and end.
   3. Make every word count.
   4. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor of the photo credit.
2. Add the InLinkz button (below) so your readers can find the dozens of other bloggers who have taken up this challenge.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Midway At The White City: #FridayFictioneers

PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson

MIDWAY AT THE WHITE CITY

Mayor Carter Harrison, Sr., strolled the grounds of his Chicago Columbian Exposition. It was his, damn the “World’s Fair” moniker. It took dealings and bravado to make this happen. “I bested New York City,” he chuckled.

He loved this, especially Chicago’s financial boost. Everyone greeted him, hands raised, huge smiles plastered, as he made his way to the noisy Midway.

Patrick Prendergast was waiting. The Mayor always came here. No one would hear the shots from the revolver he was just now aiming at Harrison.

“Broke your promise of a job,” Patrick thought, as three bullets took the Mayor out.

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Author’s Note: The architecture of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, also know as the Chicago World’s Fair, was primarily done in the Beaux Arts style of design. White Stucco, white paint, and the extensive use of street lamps were the origin of the nickname, The White City.

The world’s first Ferris Wheel was the midway’s showcase, with up to 40 people in each car, or gondola. My story’s connection to the picture prompt.

I played around a bit with the assassination: the Mayor was murdered by Patrick P, shot three times by a .38 revolver; it just happened at the Mayor’s house. The mayor passed Patrick over for a position that was “promised” for the behind the scenes dealings he helped with and used in the newspaper he worked for. Patrick was caught, convicted, and later hung.

It’s #Friday Fictioneers prompt time, as always created and hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields on her blog, Addicted To Purple.

The rules are simple if you’d like to join in:

1. 1. Use the photo on Addicted to Purple as your prompt (goes up on Wednesday).
   2. Write a 100 word story, complete with beginning, middle, and end.
   3. Make every word count.
   4. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor of the photo credit.
2. Add the InLinkz button (below) so your readers can find the dozens of other bloggers who have taken up this challenge.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

 

Repurposed: #FridayFictioneers

PHOTO PROMPT © Anshu Bhojnagarwala

REPURPOSED

Everything got thrown away. Hurled, eventually forgotten. In later years, fresh resources dwindling, things needed to be reused.

Inez was indifferent to that. Wealthy born, her life was one of constant replacing. Always go for the flashy new, discarding the barely used. People, as well. In her life, there were always new toys to play with.

Driving, higher than the orbital plane, Inez attempted a turn at 204 mph. She ended ablaze, flying pieces strewn along an area that was, to Inez, beneath her. The scavengers came and took it all.

Everything.

For once, their gardens had rich, fertilized soil.

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Author’s Note:

It’s #Friday Fictioneers prompt time, as always created and hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields on her blog, Addicted To Purple.

The rules are simple if you’d like to join in:

1. 1. Use the photo on Addicted to Purple as your prompt (goes up on Wednesday).
   2. Write a 100 word story, complete with beginning, middle, and end.
   3. Make every word count.
   4. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor of the photo credit.
2. Add the InLinkz button (below) so your readers can find the dozens of other bloggers who have taken up this challenge.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

 

Chopper Claws: #FridayFictioneers

PHOTO PROMPT © CEAyr

CHOPPER CLAWS

Claws le Chat was furious.

“Where is my Hog, my Harley? Replaced with…this?” Claws meowed.

Claws rubbed himself all over the bike. Stretching, Claws’ claws sprang out: leather material completely shredded. Reaching under the bike, Claws gutted what he could. The coups de grâce was spraying a fine vintage of Le Chat Pipi.

Licking himself, happy, a familiar loud sound froze him mid-lick.

The Big Twin Harley pulled up, motor purring like a lion.

“There ya are you stupid cat. Get on. Times a-wastin’”

Revving loudly, Claws hopped onto his Hog.

He was asleep long before they hit the highway.

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Author’s Note:

It’s #Friday Fictioneers prompt time, as always created and hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields on her blog, Addicted To Purple.

The rules are simple if you’d like to join in:

1. 1. Use the photo on Addicted to Purple as your prompt (goes up on Wednesday).
   2. Write a 100 word story, complete with beginning, middle, and end.
   3. Make every word count.
   4. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor of the photo credit.
2. Add the InLinkz button (below) so your readers can find the dozens of other bloggers who have taken up this challenge.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

 

Glisten: #FridayFictioneers

PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

GLISTEN

“You said you wouldn’t be here. I just want my things.”

Kírkē leaned against her bookcase, arms folded, staring.

“I don’t want a fight,” he said, putting items into the box he brought.

“Fine,” he continued, finding other odds and ends. “I’m sorry. I didn’t…”

“Don’t. Just, don’t.”

Unfolding her arms, he saw she held a yellow rose.

“Really?” He sighed.

“Yes,” Kírkē said, gliding over. Placing the rose to his heart, she said her spell.

His scream was short lived as he was sucked into the petals. His essence sparkled.

It went into Kírkē’s Remembrance Vase, with the others.

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Author’s Note:

It’s #Friday Fictioneers prompt time, as always created and hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields on her blog, Addicted To Purple.

The rules are simple if you’d like to join in:

1. 1. Use the photo on Addicted to Purple as your prompt (goes up on Wednesday).
   2. Write a 100 word story, complete with beginning, middle, and end.
   3. Make every word count.
   4. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor of the photo credit.
2. Add the InLinkz button (below) so your readers can find the dozens of other bloggers who have taken up this challenge.

“Greetings To You, Whoever You Are” : #FridayFictioneers

PHOTO PROMPT © J Hardy Carroll

Greetings To You, Whoever You Are

[*The following BabbelFish translation: EstProcul; Dwarf Planet; Temperat System]

“Hover Hold set. Primary observation mode enacted.”

“There’s something not seen every day.”

“What is, Supreme Commander?”

“These. Jumping on each other, rolling, making noises, [untranslatable].”

“Disgusting, Supreme Commander.”

“Quite.”

“Supreme. That one moved. It has inserted a tube in the other.”

“Feeding?”

“So it appears, Supreme. Data lacking. Wait; they’re [untranslatable] again.”

“My OralArms [best translation] writhe. This gives a feeling of [untranslatable] and [untranslatable].”

“Home, Supreme?”

“Yes. No. Wait. What the [untranslatable]? Jaunt now. Jaunt!”

“Jaunting, Supreme. Passing Heliopause…now.”

“Deviants. ‘Greetings to you, whoever you are’ my [untranslatable]. Ha!”

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Author’s Note:

OK: I saw the thing outside the window, and this is where my mind went: alien spacecraft. BTW, they are undocumented, so shhhhh.

The title is one of the greetings on the Golden Disc inside Discovery, launched 1977. Where it all winds up, no one knows.

It’s #Friday Fictioneers prompt time, as always created and hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields on her blog, Addicted To Purple.

The rules are simple if you’d like to join in:

1. 1. Use the photo on Addicted to Purple as your prompt (goes up on Wednesday).
   2. Write a 100 word story, complete with beginning, middle, and end.
   3. Make every word count.
   4. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor of the photo credit.
2. Add the InLinkz button (below) so your readers can find the dozens of other bloggers who have taken up this challenge.

Creation: #FridayFictioneers

PHOTO PROMPT © Anshu Bhojnagarwala

CREATION

They were sitting, quietly, before the campfire, as the sun disappeared. The crackling, burning logs popped, accompanied by soft sounds of kisses and breaths.

“Let me tell you a story.”

He nodded, cheek against her head.

“White-Buffalo-Woman told Coyote ‘Selu and Kanati, first woman and man, committed to the Creator and each other. From their union came the people, various, and plenty. Each union grew, from love, need, both.’ Pausing, she said ‘We have loved each other through the ages.’ Coyote said ‘So?…Oh.”

“I guess Coyote was being a clueless guy,” he said. Then “Oh.”

“Yes,” she smiled. “Oh!”

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Author’s Note:

It’s #Friday Fictioneers prompt time, as always created and hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields on her blog, Addicted To Purple.

The rules are simple if you’d like to join in:

1. 1. Use the photo on Addicted to Purple as your prompt (goes up on Wednesday).
   2. Write a 100 word story, complete with beginning, middle, and end.
   3. Make every word count.
   4. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor of the photo credit.
2. Add the InLinkz button (below) so your readers can find the dozens of other bloggers who have taken up this challenge.

T.P. : #FridayFictioneers

PHOTO PROMPT © Renee Heath

T.P.

Tsohanoai, Tklehanoai, and Coyote sat, admiring their work.

“Told ‘ya.” Coyote grinned.

“Yes. You did. Right as day.”

“Or night.” Tklehanoai countered.

“Hmmph,” Tsohanoai grunted.

“When I’m right, I’m right. And…”

“You’re always right,” they answered, shaking heads, in unison.

“S’what happens with both feet on the ground.”

“Or paws,” Tsohanoai beamed.

“Four, actually,” Tklehanoai twinkled.

They all chuckled.

Coyote stood, affixed his Stetson, ears perking up.

“Is that…?” they asked, in harmony.

“Yup. White-Buffalo-Woman. Date night. See ya.”

 “Who knew 4-ply was even a thing?”

“Worked better than 2-ply.”

The Tipi was strong, as long as it wasn’t squeezed.

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Author’s Note:

It’s #Friday Fictioneers prompt time, as always created and hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields on her blog, Addicted To Purple.

The rules are simple if you’d like to join in:

1. 1. Use the photo on Addicted to Purple as your prompt (goes up on Wednesday).
   2. Write a 100 word story, complete with beginning, middle, and end.
   3. Make every word count.
   4. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor of the photo credit.
2. Add the InLinkz button (below) so your readers can find the dozens of other bloggers who have taken up this challenge.

Car In The Woods: #FridayFictioneers

PHOTO PROMPT © Ted Strutz

CAR IN THE WOODS

There was a car in the woods.

Charred. Rusted. Busted.

Picked clean. Shell just a reminder.

No road. No reason. Just there.

No one knew anything, the how or the why.

Tales grew around it.

Some said haunted, hearing revving sounds, seeing blazing headlights. Sounds of a crash.

Some, young lovers discovered, then dispatched.

Others, drug deal, bullet ridden bodies strewn over dead grass.

Demons, suicides, maniacs, spectral beings, even UFO’s dropping the car into this nowhere space after the abduction was done.

No one knew. Not a one of them.

I knew.

There was a car in the woods.

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Author’s Note:

It’s #Friday Fictioneers prompt time, as always created and hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields on her blog, Addicted To Purple.

The rules are simple if you’d like to do this:

1. 1. Use the photo on Addicted to Purple as your prompt (goes up on Wednesday).
   2. Write a 100 word story, complete with beginning, middle, and end.
   3. Make every word count.
   4. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor of the photo credit.
2. Add the InLinkz button (below) so your readers can find the dozens of other bloggers who have taken up this challenge.

The Talisman Of Mara: #FridayFictioneers

PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson

THE TALISMAN OF MARA

Stolen, traded, gifted, lost, the Talisman of Mara journeyed across the globe, across time. Many hands wielded it; many died doing so.

Naomi found it at the shul’s fundraiser. The piece of colored glazed stone drew her eyes. It wasn’t anything she’d ever buy when Seth was alive. She bought it.

Hanging it, she’d see it when she descended the stairs, turned off the lights, went out.

It was the one piece of color she claimed in a beige house.

Tumbling down the stairs, Naomi broke the glass door.

It was only the first of many nightmarish events to come.

 

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Author’s Note:  I made mention in the comments previously that when I do use names in these short pieces, they have meanings associated with the story. Some drive what I’m writing. So, if you’re curious, look them up. If not, hope you still liked this.

It’s #Friday Fictioneers prompt time, as always created and hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields on her blog, Addicted To Purple.

The rules are simple if you’d like to do this:

1. 1. Use the photo on Addicted to Purple as your prompt (goes up on Wednesday).
   2. Write a 100 word story, complete with beginning, middle, and end.
   3. Make every word count.
   4. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor of the photo credit.
2. Add the InLinkz button (below) so your readers can find the dozens of other bloggers who have taken up this challenge.