Off Season Blues

I looked on sadly at the rain from behind my desk.

Photo by markusspiske at Pixabay.com

I’d built such a lovely place, but new arrivals were drying up. Maybe it was time to shut shop.

Suddenly, there was a loud knock. I almost ran to the door, opened it with a flourish, and said, “Welcome to the Hotel California.”

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279 characters

Written in response to Kat’s twittering tale #95, where the challenge wast o write a story in 280 characters or less inspired by the weekly photo prompt.

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The Garden of Regret

My garden had always been my pride. People used to write stories about it, heck, movies were made featuring it. But alas, no more.

Now, with no one to take care of it, my garden has become a ghost of its former glorious self, a pitiable relic of the past. My exotic plants have wilted, my redolent flowers have become dust. I can’t even bear to look at it without tearing up.

PHOTO PROMPT © Sandra Crook

Perhaps it wasn’t that great an idea to tempt my gardeners, Adam and Eve, into committing the original sin, and falling from my garden of Eden.

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98 words.

Written as a part of the Friday Fictioneers challenge, hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (more details HERE). The objective is to write a story in 100 words or less, based on the weekly photo prompt.

To read many more stories based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.

Say it with Shoes

“We don’t HAVE to buy shoes for me every year,” Cinderella laughed gaily as she tried on the latest design from Jimmy Choo.

Photo prompt courtesy Yinglan

“Well, they WERE responsible for bringing us together, so it’s only appropriate, you know. But we can stop buying them from now on if it’s a problem,” he replied in a naughty tone.

“Oh don’t be silly,” she countered with mock anger, “I love my shoes….and I love you.”

His eyes were now a reflective pool of water, just like hers, as he replied softly, “I love you too.”

Cinderella shook her head violently, as if to clear cobwebs in her hair, and asked the attendant, “What’s the time?”

“It’s nearly 6pm, your highness,” replied the boy.

“THAT LATE ALREADY?” she screamed, “Marcus, I’m sorry, but I need to rush back like the wind. My husband…your boss…will be coming back from the hunt any minute now!”

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152 words.

Written as a part of Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers, hosted by Priceless Joy. The challenge is to write a story in 175 words or less, based on the weekly photo prompt. For more information visit HERE. To read more stories based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.

A Lesson Cast in Stone

“Look at this rock, my son, and learn,” my mother announced in a grave tone, pointing towards the giant head carved out of stone.

Photo credit: J

I looked at the head with interest. It looked old, actually, not just old, but ancient. The face was full of pathos, as if the man had seen a bit too much of this world, and now just wanted to shut himself off from it, imprisoning himself under this mountain so that he could escape the world. It was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.

I suddenly felt a stinging pain on the back of my head, and realized that my mother had just slapped me. “If you do not eat your fruits and vegetables as I tell you to,” she said severely, “I’ll turn you too into stone, just like I did your father here.”

Unfaithfully Yours

Running away together had not been an easy decision, but they didn’t have a choice. His wife had started suspecting them, and their life could be destroyed any day now.

But right now, he was waiting for her, alone, with the suitcase. Maybe she too had abandoned him, left him stranded, like that suitcase.

His eyes teared up as his thoughts turned dark with despair. But then, someone patted him on the back. He turned swiftly.

“Let’s go,” she said breezily, “Hope you’ve checked the suitcase again. All the money from our last robbery is in there, right Dad?”

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99 words.

Written in response to the Carrot Ranch Literary Community Flash Fiction challenge  hosted by Charli Mills. Charli’s prompt this week was:

July 26, 2018, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story about what happens next to a stranded suitcase. Go where the prompt leads you, but consider the different perspectives you can take to tell the tale.

The Master Sculptor

The troll king had warned me while commissioning the statue that it had to be in his exact likeness, or he would lose his head, and I, mine.

Photo prompt courtesy Sue Vincent

I think I’ve done a fairly good job of it, don’t you? That bottle of rum that I drank to keep me awake while I worked surely helped a lot.

Photo by Couleur at Pixabay.com

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280 characters.

This was a mashup of two challenges:

1) Sue Vincent’s Thursday Photo Prompt: Stone #writephoto

2) Kat Myrman’s Twittering Tales

The Alumni Meet

Their faces lit up with animation as they walked towards the marina for their Alumni Meet.

PHOTO PROMPT © Ted Strutz

“So many people, and only the three of us had to become best friends. What were the odds?” said Kelvin.

“I know,” chirped up Dana, “And we didn’t even like each other when we first met.”

Flint hugged both of them tight, and said nothing for some time. Then, he slowly lifted his head and asked, “Do you think we would have still been friends if we hadn’t died together on that boat accident?”

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90 words.

Written as a part of the Friday Fictioneers challenge, hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (more details HERE). The objective is to write a story in 100 words or less based on the weekly photo prompt.

To read many more interesting stories based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.

Note: My apologies to readers who have been visiting my blog this week and leaving behind their kind words of appreciation and feedback, as I haven’t been able to comment at all. I’ve been down with a bad case of throat infection since the beginning of the week, and am just about able to write my daily story before I need to lie down again. My throat, by the way, is what his heel was to Achilles, and does this a bit too often, so nothing to worry about 🙂