FF – Hard Times
Here is my story for Friday Fictioneers. Rochelle is our host and she also provided this week’s photo!
To read this week’s other stories, click on the blue froggy.
Copyright Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
Myron contemplated the dilapidated factories across the river. They used to be so busy, he mused. Back when there was money. No longer. Times were tough. With the closure of those factories, days of joy and laughter spent with his wife and son had become a hand-to-mouth existence.
Something had to give. Myron had taken action.
At least now there’s one less mouth to feed, he thought. As if on cue he saw a bundle being swept downriver.
“Samuel!” he yelled angrily. “Your mother’s floating off again. Fetch her back and this time use all your gym equipment to weigh her down!”
Limerick Challenge – Power
Having read some lovely poetic Limericks by my bloggy friend Maria over at Doodles and Scribbles I thought I’d have a go at a Limerick challenge from Mind and Life Matters. The main rule is that for this week the Limerick has to include the word “Power”, or a synonym thereof.
It’s actually a Limerick Poetry challenge, but since I can’t write poetry I’ve gone for a traditional Limerick, i.e. I’ve strung together a bunch of words which rhyme in the correct places and scan properly, and involve no deep thought :-). There’s a link-up for this challenge, so click on the blue froggy for more!
There was an ex-hippy called Flower
Who decided to take a hot shower
But soon she fled screaming
The water was freezing
Laughed husband, “I turned off the power!”
Then when I got home the phrase “ivory tower” popped into my mind which sounded too good not to use (as it rhymes with “power”) so I did another one.
There once was a man name of Gower
Who had all the wealth and the power
But while chasing a buck
All his plans came unstuck
And he fell from his ivory tower.
There you go. My first try and I’ve probably already broken the rules by posting two.
Sharing My World 2016 Week 10
Here is my post for Cee’s Share Your World. We’ve reached double week numbers already! A fifth of the way through the year nearly.
What would you ask for if a genie granted you three wishes?
- A long and healthy life
- Tons of cash
- Babes
What experiences are most meaningful to you?
That’s tricky. I don’t really have “experiences” any more. I just shuffle through life. I enjoy sunny days out in “the nature” and family Christmases and whatnot.
As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a train driver! Every year as a kid we took the train to North Scotland to see my Gran and it seemed like it would be very exciting to drive the train. My brother and I sometimes made a “train” out of the furniture, and we had a Hornby model train set too.
I guess in reality it would quite boring, though.
Complete this sentence: The best day of my life was…
I guess it was the day of my PhD viva. After the questioning I went across the corridor to the high pressure physics lab and wandered around waiting to be called. It was great to go back in and see them all stand, hold out their hands and say “Congratulations, Dr Phillips” :-). Word spread quickly – by the time we’d finished up and I’d gone back down to the office I shared with some other postgrads and postdocs, someone had already taped a piece of paper with “Dr” on over the “Mr”!
Misty Cornwall
On my way to work this morning I pulled over into a lay-by to take these photos. I didn’t have my camera with me but my ever-present phone seemed up to the task :-).
FF – Into the Shadows
Here is my little story for Friday Fictioneers, the weekly 100 word flash fiction hosted by Rochelle. This week’s photo was contributed by Emmy L. Gant.
To read this week’s other stories, click on the blue froggy.
Copyright Emmy L. Gant
Delvor cast his eye over the city as the sun slipped behind billowing clouds, admiring the spires and majestic buildings, testament to the achievements of Man. Despite these grand structures, the city was quiet, seemingly deserted.
Would that it were, he mused as he shifted his gaze to the shadows; inky black, far too black, unnaturally black. Delvor was Chosen. Delvor could see that which was hidden to most, the things which lived in the dark places, under beds, inside wardrobes. Things which killed the unsuspecting, the unaware, mutilating without mercy.
Girding himself, he unsheathed his obsidian dagger and advanced.
Sharing My World 2016 Week 9
Here is my post for Cee’s Share Your World, where we answer questions posed by Cee.
Have you done something you truly want to do today?
Well, it’s only 8am. I guess I had a bit of a lie in which was something I wanted! I don’t usually “truly want to do” anything to be honest. Days come, days go…
What can you help the world with?
Well, nothing really. But this does remind me of a craze which swept our school back in the day. Someone would ask if they could “help” you and if you said “yes”, they’d turn your bag/pencil case upside down and empty it out all over the floor. I am proud to announce that I was part of the originating group for this!
So I could turn the world’s pencil case upside down and empty it out. Maybe it needs a bit of a clear out.
If life was ‘just a bowl of cherries’… which fruit other than a cherry would you be..?
I’d be a passion fruit, obviously… 😉
Quotes List: At least three of your favourite quotes?
Here are some quotes I used before for a quote challenge.
- Do or do not, there is no try (Master Yoda)
- In the beginning there was nothing, which exploded (Terry Pratchett)
- Be excellent to each other (Bill and Ted)
FF – Still Useful
Here is my story for Friday Fictioneers at last. Friday Fictioneers is hosted by Rochelle and this week’s photo was contributed by Sean Fallon.
You’d hardly believe it, but I spent all of yesterday trying to think how I could add a salt shaker and iPhone charger so I could work in the line “I’m charging you with a-salt and battery.” Sadly, it was not to be :-(. So here’s yet another post-apocalyptic nightmare for you instead.
To read this week’s other stories, click on the blue froggy.
Copyright Sean Fallon
Seamus stared sadly at his cache of batteries. Time was you could slip one of these babies into a torch, a remote, a toy, and it would come to life! Not anymore. Not since the flares.
Who knew the Sun held such anger in its soul? Every circuit board on Earth, every machine, fried in an instant.
The door flew open, dragging Seamus from his reverie.
“Seamus! Got another one who won’t cooperate! Need some more of that acid.”
Seamus picked a battery out of his pot, carefully sawed the top off and handed it over. Still useful, he muttered.
Sharing My World 2016 Week 8
Here are my answers to Cee’s Share Your World challenge.
What household chore do you absolutely hate doing?
Yes 🙂
What was the last URL that you bookmarked?
I don’t tend to bookmark much stuff, to be honest. I can never find the bookmarks when I need them. The only ones I really end up using are the ones which fit along the top of my Chrome browser. I guess the most recent bookmark I added, sometime in the middle of last year, was for a company which scans your websites looking for vulnerabilities. Not very interesting, I’m afraid 😦
Close your eyes. Listen to your body. What part of your body is seeking attention? What is it telling you?
Let’s see… nothing too much right now as I’m reclining on the sofa typing this. If I stood up my brain would be screaming “Posture, dude, you’re walking around like an old man! Stand up straight!” Don’t you just love getting older?
Would you rather have a two-bedroom apartment in a big city of your choosing or a mansion in the country side in the state or country where you currently live?
The two-bed flat sounds like the sort of size I would like, but I wouldn’t like to live in a big city. Living in the countryside sounds great but a mansion would be too big and expensive to maintain. I guess I’ll be staying put!
Well, for the first Sunday in weeks it’s not raining and I’m not going out so I guess I need to wash the car. See question one :-(.
FF – The Good Old Days
A day later than usual, here is my story for Friday Fictioneers, hosted by Rochelle. This week’s photo was supplied by Al Forbes. To read this week’s other stories, click on the blue froggy.
Copyright Al Forbes
As he drove back from the motor show, Terry reflected on the good old days. He’d driven those cars for real, once. Sure, they were a little out of date even then, but common enough not to be a curiosity. Real cars for real drivers!
Ah, the wind in your hair, the flies in your eyes, the freezing winter air ripping through you. Every bump a nightmare, every junction a challenge, every corner a danger.
He adjusted the climate control, told his stereo to change tracks, switched on the heated seats and smiled. Progress isn’t all bad, he thought.
FFftPP – The List
I know, it’s technically Friday Fictioneers day, but I’ve written a late entry for Roger’s Flash Fiction for the Purposeful Practitioner.
The supplied opening sentence is in bold, and the picture was sourced here.
Click on the blue froggy for other stories.
Public Domain Archive
There it was. You could see the corner of the folded yellowed parchment sticking out of the torn lining of the battered book.
“How did it get in there?” asked Sarah.
“I don’t know,” replied Mother, “but we need it. We can’t leave without The List.” She gave a tentative tug at the corner of The List. It didn’t move.
“Care, mother!” snapped Sarah. Ashamed at her tone, she continued in a softer voice. “The Book is ancient. We dare not damage it!”
“But The List,” replied Mother. “The List is essential. Without it we cannot continue. All will be lost.”
“One moment.” Sarah rummaged through her pack, finding a pair of tweezers. Carefully, she tugged at the corner of The List until, inch by inch, it came free.
“There!” she said. “At last we have The List, and The Book is undamaged.” She handed it to Mother who unfolded it carefully, almost reverently.
“Is everything there, Mother?” asked Sarah anxiously. “Did you remember the eggs?”
“Yes!” said Mother triumphantly. “Let’s go shopping!”
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