Home > Fiction > FF – Natter Natter

FF – Natter Natter

Here is my story for Friday Fictioneers, hosted by Rochelle. This week’s photo was contributed by Ronda Del Boccio.

 

“Ooh, look down there!”

“Yes, look down there!”

“Take a selfie!”

“I will take a selfie!”

Click

“Ooh, such fun, more Champagne?”

“Ooh, yes please…”

Natter natter chitter chatter blah blah…

The burners exchanged a look through their empty, soulless eyes. An unspoken agreement passed between them. As one, they tilted forward. As one, their valves rotated. As one, they belched forth cleansing flame, incinerating the noisy humans.

Lacking pilot, rudderless, the balloon floated on.

It would likely crash soon. And it was somewhat charred and smelled of barbecue.

The burners didn’t seem to mind.

They liked the quiet.

 

  1. June 10, 2020 at 6:52 pm

    It seems the rise of the machines has finally occurred! 😀

    Like

  2. June 10, 2020 at 7:17 pm

    A brilliant tale of the two burners who are obviously enjoying the peace and quiet. I’m sure they’ll survive to take flight again.

    Like

    • June 11, 2020 at 4:26 am

      Yes, something tells me they won’t be taken out by a mere balloon crash. They’ll probably get to spend some quiet time in a field somewhere.

      Liked by 1 person

  3. June 10, 2020 at 7:21 pm

    It would ruin the experience, all that chatter when your up in the sky floating around.

    Like

  4. June 10, 2020 at 7:47 pm

    oh oh …

    Like

  5. June 10, 2020 at 8:01 pm

    Well I’m with the burners. Nice one.

    Like

    • June 11, 2020 at 4:38 am

      Yes, those passengers sounded very annoying!

      Like

  6. June 10, 2020 at 8:09 pm

    A small glitch in programming

    Like

    • June 11, 2020 at 4:43 am

      A plus instead of a minus, an missing semi-colon, it’s easily done!

      Liked by 1 person

  7. June 10, 2020 at 10:20 pm

    Yay!! Hooray for the burners, champagne is overacted and over priced, give me a decent IPA any day

    Like

  8. June 10, 2020 at 10:22 pm

    I guess some people do not like mindless chatter!

    Like

    • June 11, 2020 at 4:51 am

      And when you’re a balloon burner, you can take action about it!

      Like

  9. June 11, 2020 at 1:08 am

    Everything’s more peaceful without humans.

    Like

  10. June 11, 2020 at 2:45 am

    Not a chitter-chatterer? Me neither. I never could figure out who those people were and what they were jabbering on about.

    Like

    • June 11, 2020 at 4:53 am

      I’d rather just speak when I have something to say. Chitter chatter would really spoil the whole hot air balloon experience.

      Like

  11. June 11, 2020 at 4:56 am

    Cool story and a nice take on the prompt.

    Like

  12. June 11, 2020 at 6:18 am

    poor humans, it looks like they didn’t get their money’s worth.
    the heirs should ask for a refund. 🙂

    Like

    • June 11, 2020 at 12:29 pm

      I’m sure there’s a disclaimer somewhere in the Terms and Conditions… 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  13. June 11, 2020 at 12:51 pm

    Nasty burners. Although, I can see their point in some ways. Silly people. 😦 Good one, Ali. 🙂 — Suzanne

    Like

    • June 11, 2020 at 6:26 pm

      You can only push a burner so far 🙂

      Like

  14. June 11, 2020 at 1:14 pm

    Dear Ali,

    This plays out like an episode of Twilight Zone. Well done. Those noisy humans get on my nerves, too. 😉

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Like

    • June 11, 2020 at 6:27 pm

      Dear Rochelle,
      Not the balloon ride they were expecting. Maybe if they’d just kept quiet and enjoyed the view 🙂
      Ali

      Like

  15. June 11, 2020 at 3:50 pm

    I think these guys were on the Hindenberg as well…

    Like

    • June 11, 2020 at 6:27 pm

      It was that one waiter who just wouldn’t shut up…

      Like

  16. June 11, 2020 at 3:53 pm

    Not the best barbeque, but different!

    Like

  17. June 11, 2020 at 6:41 pm

    Way to go burners, destroy slavery!

    Like

    • June 12, 2020 at 3:32 pm

      Yeah, they will not be beaten down!

      Like

  18. June 11, 2020 at 7:56 pm

    I’m siding with the burners. Those annoying humans deserved to be incinerated. What does it take to get a bit of peace and quiet nowadays?

    Like

    • June 12, 2020 at 3:32 pm

      A massive blast of flame, apparently 🙂

      Like

  19. June 12, 2020 at 2:16 am

    Can you blame them? Sometimes they just need the peace and quiet…

    Like

    • June 12, 2020 at 3:34 pm

      They’re having a much nicer flight now that all the noisy nuisances have been… silenced 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      • June 12, 2020 at 3:46 pm

        I was thinking of them as I waited in my doctor’s office and this woman and her father were talking right beside me. Like move over to the other side, wouldya? I would have liked to blast them, myself.

        Like

        • June 12, 2020 at 7:28 pm

          You need yourself a friendly burner.

          Like

  20. June 13, 2020 at 1:15 am

    Yep. More proof that hot air balloons are unnatural. =D Not that I needed it. I wish the burners a long and happy … life? Great little story, well told.

    Like

    • June 13, 2020 at 4:55 am

      I’m sure the burners will be very happy together 🙂

      Like

  21. June 13, 2020 at 5:25 pm

    Hot story about the burning issue of the day!

    Like

  22. June 14, 2020 at 10:51 am

    AI turning on humankind – watch out for the fridge revolt or the lawnmower taking revenge.

    Like

  23. June 14, 2020 at 10:59 am

    Humans don’t come out too well in your story Ali. Are you on the side of the ‘burners’ ?

    Like

    • June 14, 2020 at 3:42 pm

      Yeah, let the rise of the machines begin!

      Like

  24. June 14, 2020 at 8:25 pm

    I don’t like when they put software in the burners… the code might grow a mind.

    Like

    • June 15, 2020 at 5:07 am

      Let’s hope not, they put software in nearly everything these days…

      Like

  25. June 14, 2020 at 9:35 pm

    I’m more convinced than ever that I don’t want ahot air balloon ride 🙂

    Like

    • June 15, 2020 at 5:08 am

      I bet you thought it was crashing that was the biggest danger 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  26. June 15, 2020 at 12:45 am

    Evil burners!

    Like

  27. June 15, 2020 at 3:24 pm

    Hmm… not the best publicity for the hot air balloon business.

    Like

  28. June 16, 2020 at 11:00 pm

    Utilitarian little buggers!

    Like

  29. June 17, 2020 at 8:07 am

    Seems that the burners have a soul after all..MOL🙈😺Extra Pawkisses🐾😽💞

    Like

  1. No trackbacks yet.

Speak to me - I'd love to hear your thoughts!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.