RUTHIE - 100 word story

'What a photo!' was my first thought about his week's Friday Fictioneers photo prompt. There was only one way for me to go with it...

PHOTO PROMPT © Yvette Prior

RUTHIE

'Why do you always argue?' Ruthie slumped, plucking at her bandaged throat.

'Because I care,' said Raymond.

'I'm fresh out of hospital and fresh out of smokes.' Ruthie pouted. 'And where's my whiskey? Did you drink it?'

'Don't be ridiculous.'

'Pleeese, mate.'

'I'm not going to help you commit suicide.'

'Stop being melodramatic. Pleeese, Raymond. I neeed my babies.'

'Don't ask me to do this.'

'PLEEESE.' Ruthie began to tear the bandage.

'Jesus, Ruthie.' Raymond threw a packet of cigarettes down.

She scrabbled for a lighter.

Raymond found the whiskey.

'Thanks, mate.'

He stared at her. 'Knock yourself out, Ruthie.'

I hope you enjoyed this story and I look forward to your comments. 


If you wish to read more Friday Fictioneers stories, you can find them listed HERE

If you'd like to join in the challenge, you'll find all the information posted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields 

- her blog is listed on 'My Blog List' on the right hand side of this page.

On a final note - I always try to visit the blogs of everyone who comments on mine. If I haven't commented on yours it's either because I haven't been able to find your blog when I've clicked on your name or because you have a wordpress account that requires me to sign in first. 

PLAIN SIGHT - 100 word story

After a short summer break I looked at this week's Friday Fictioneers photo prompt and came up with this little story. Is Willie harmless or sinister? You decide.

Sandra Crook

PLAIN SIGHT

When Willie nearly burnt his house down, Jane took him in. His foibles were mostly manageable, but when Willie built a stack of broken terracotta and kindling, Jane got annoyed.

'You've created an eyesore, Dad.'

'Now then, Jane lass. Where else can they hide?'

'And just who are they?'

'Hush, lass, someone might hear.' He leaned towards his daughter. 'My stack allows them to hide in plain sight.'

Jane gave up. 'Alright, but no lighting fires.'

Willie crouched in front of the pallets. 'Alright lads,' he whispered. 'She hasn't caught on.'

The stack shivered and crackled in reply.

Willie chuckled.

I hope you enjoyed this story and I look forward to your comments. 


If you wish to read more Friday Fictioneers stories, you can find them listed HERE

If you'd like to join in the challenge, you'll find all the information posted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields 

- her blog is listed on 'My Blog List' on the right hand side of this page.

On a final note - I always try to visit the blogs of everyone who comments on mine. If I haven't commented on yours it's either because I haven't been able to find your blog when I've clicked on your name or because you have a wordpress account that requires me to sign in first. 

SMALL ADS - 100 word story

I looked at the photo prompt for this week's Friday Fictioneers challenge and it led me along a path of loneliness and delusion.

PHOTO PROMPT © Connie Gayer

Lonely, handsome, solvent young bachelor looking for beautiful soulmate.

I am easy going, strong, funny and affectionate.

I live on a farm far away from the rat race.

My house is large and very beautiful and I need a woman to share it with.

You want to live in a quiet place? This is it.

You want to eat fresh vegetables? I have a kitchen garden.

You want to drink fine wine? I have a small vineyard.

You want to swim? I have built a natural plunge pool.

Come!

Escape your life and live the dream with me.

I hope you enjoyed this story and I look forward to your comments. 


If you wish to read more Friday Fictioneers stories, you can find them listed HERE

If you'd like to join in the challenge, you'll find all the information posted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields 

- her blog is listed on 'My Blog List' on the right hand side of this page.

THE CAMPING TRIP - 100 Word Story

For reasons I can't explain, the beautiful view in this week's Friday Fictioneers photo prompted a dark story.

PHOTO PROMPT © Jan Wayne Fields

THE CAMPING TRIP

The camping trip was Jem's idea. We drove into the mountains.

“They got bears hereabouts?”

Jem huffed. “You crazy, Ali?”

“Looks like bear country.”

“Deliverance country, more like. Listen! Hear them Duelling Banjos?”

Jem braked for a fallen tree. “Stay there, Ali.” 

He rootled in the trunk. I heard thumps and grunts. I swivelled in my seat, but the trunk lid obscured my view.

Another thump. I suddenly felt an indelible dread.

“Jem?” I whispered. “You messing with me?”

Subsumed by fear I heard saw-toothed voices. Then I heard footsteps on the roof of the car.

I hope you enjoyed reading this and I look forward to your comments. 

If you wish to read more Friday Fictioneers stories, you can find them listed HERE

If you'd like to join in the challenge, you'll find all the information posted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields 

- her blog is listed on 'My Blog List' on the right hand side of this page.

On a final note - I always try to visit the blogs of everyone who comments on mine. If I haven't commented on yours it's either because I haven't been able to find your blog when I've clicked on your name or because you have a wordpress account that requires me to sign in first. 

THE WARNING - 100 word story

The photo prompt for Friday Fictioneers this week led me along a path of destruction and betrayal. Hope you like it!

Photo Prompt by Sandra Crook

The Warning

I waited in front of the derelict shop.

When he turned the corner I started the car and eased onto the road, smooth as cream.

He didn’t notice me. He never noticed the sassy woman who lived inside this plain-Jane skin. A woman brave enough to take action when side-swiped by betrayal.

He stepped onto the crossing. I accelerated. Our eyes locked. His widened in realisation. Too late, mate.

Bodies don't bounce. They thud and crunch and roll away kinda slow.

   

Janice hit Print, placed the draft of her new thriller on the desk, knowing her husband would read it.

I hope you enjoyed my story and I look forward to reading your comments. 

If you wish to read more Friday Fictioneers stories, you can find them listed HERE 

If you'd like to join in the challenge, you'll find all the information posted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields 

- her blog is listed on 'My Blog List' on the right hand side of this page

DERELICT - 100 word story

This week's photo prompt for Friday Fictioneers got me thinking. Didn't we all love fairgrounds as children? But what happens when a naughty child can't visit the fairground? Why, she'll use her imagination instead...

PHOTO PROMPT © J Hardy Carroll

DERELICT

'I hate you!' Sophie punched her sister.

'That's it! You're grounded,' said her mother. 'No fairground visit.'

Sophie raged and fled to the scrapyard. She spotted a derelict car. The driver's door handle clicked open. She climbed in. The interior smelt of urine. Sophie wrinkled her nose.

Hidden under newspapers, Manny lay asleep on the back seat.

Sophie clutched the steering wheel. ‘Brm brm.’

Manny woke.

A kid was in his car? Something stirred in Manny.

Sophie bounced, pretending to drive. Who needed stupid fairground cars anyway?

Manny slowly sat up.

Filled with sparkling daydreams, Sophie accelerated into the unknown.

I hope you enjoyed my story and I look forward to reading your comments. 

If you wish to read more Friday Fictioneers stories, you can find them listed HERE

If you'd like to join in the challenge, you'll find the all information posted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields 

- her blog is listed on 'My Blog List' on the right hand side of this page.

BITER BIT - 100 Words

As soon as I saw the photo prompt for this week's Friday Fictioneers 100 word challenge I thought of the famous quote:

'Oh what a tangled web we weave, When first we practise to deceive'.

This story is adapted from a true experience in Namibia. 

PHOTO PROMPT © Victor and Sarah Potter

BITER BIT

The gorge was flanked by cliffs layered like flaky pastry. I lifted my camera.

'I'll stand here, for perspective, Katy.' Ben posed. 

He looked magnificent. Although I’d cut my throat before I told the vain git.

Further along we found a snake curled asleep.

'Wow! Take our picture.' Ben stepped forwards, turned and posed.

The snake slid away.

'Uh, Ben? Don’t move. It’s a cobra.'

Ben froze. 'You kidding?'

'No, mate. Hold still. Movement might trigger a strike.'

Gleefully I photographed Ben’s beautiful, terrified face.

His expression changed. 'Uh, Katy? There's another one right behind you.'

I hope you enjoyed my story and I look forward to reading your comments. 

If you wish to read more Friday Fictioneers stories, you can find them listed HERE

If you'd like to join in the challenge, you'll find the all information posted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields 

- her blog is listed on 'My Blog List' on the right hand side of this page

TORRES DEL PAINE - Patagonia, Chile - A Short Story

After a slight hiatus due to spending time developing my new website (not writing related) I am returning to my series of short stories inspired by my photos from my recent South American journey.


The puma sat up on the hillside secure in the belief that he was adequately camouflaged by the surrounding vegetation.

The hare wasn’t fooled but she knew if she sat motionless, the cat wouldn’t spot her.

What the hare didn’t know was that the puma had been scouting the area for likely looking prey and had spotted a small herd of Andean Deer.

Unfortunately for the puma, the deer were ranging over an exposed slope. He knew that he wouldn’t be able to creep close enough to strike and catch one.

He turned his attention towards the guanaco and spotted a baby in the middle of the herd.

Hmm. He would need to isolate the youngster if he was to have any hope of making a kill.

There! The calf was fast asleep. He had found the perfect candidate.

As an added bonus, the parent clearly wasn’t paying attention. 

Now if he could sneak in close enough…

Alas, a Southern Lapwing sounded the alarm. 

Alerted to danger, the guanaco herd loped away.

Frustrated, the puma started scanning the area again.

If he was lucky, he might find a nice, juicy hare for a little snack instead.

I hope you enjoyed my fourth story in my South America series. I'd love you to leave a comment.

ROBBEN ISLAND - a short story

A few years ago I travelled around South Africa. 
While I was in Cape Town I took the ferry to Robben Island and met a man called Ntoza: an experience I will never forget.

I described the tour of Robben Island in an article I wrote for an English language newspaper in Spain.

Shortly after the death of Nelson Mandela I wrote a story based on my experience which was published on the Cafe Lit website.

Cape Town from ferry to Robben Island

You can read the story here

Robben Island

Nelson Mandela's Cell

Nelson Mandela's Cell

The Elijah Project - a short story

During my years in Fiji I had many fascinating experiences and gained vast amounts of material for both fiction and non-fiction writing. My latest story published on the Cafe Lit website was inspired by things I saw in Fiji. The story is fictional, and Fijians do not have a culture of throwing family members out of their homes, but the character Elijah is loosely based on a real person.

Harvesting coconuts

Click here to read the story

House building

Selling trinkets to tourists

Strand Wolf on the Skeleton Coast

The Skeleton Coast in Namibia is one of the most extraordinary landscapes I have ever travelled through. I wrote a travel article for an English language newspaper in Spain, The Costa Blanca News, about my whole journey through Namibia. My travels along The Skeleton Coast inspired a short story too. Here is the link to the now sadly defunct Thrillers Killers & Chillers blogspot where the story was first published:

http://thrillskillsnchills.blogspot.com/2009/08/strandwolf-by-susan-eames.html