Friday Fictioneers – To Dream is To Write

A wooden bench, resting on concrete, with water and city views behind. A heart drawn on the back of the bench.

Photo Prompt by Roger Bultot

I haven’t written for many months

Heart heavier, notebooks abandoned.

I pass this bench every day

View attractive, bench unappealing.

I suss it out, this grotty chair

Old mould, new stains, suspicious mess.

I spy the view behind this seat

That turbulent, lustful, aquatic feast.

I wonder why when planning took place

Developers chose to opposite face.

For those who observe the passing world

Or need a corner within to pause?

For those who need a moment to rest

Want more than a diversion?

Waits for romantics, and scribers of schemes

Resting idle, deserted, ’till a writer dreams.


The year is 2023 and Rochelle Wisoff-Fields continues to set the challenge and encourage this community of writers. An effort appreciate by us all. The challenge is to write a story in 100 words or fewer.

For other 100 word fiction, read here.

Friday Fictioneers – give a little rope

A white church with a steeple topped with a cross, and an old barge-like boat beside it

Photo prompt by Jade-Li

‘Father, do you know something we don’t?’

‘What do you mean, Johnny?’

‘The boat, Father. Have you had word from God, to be prepared?’

‘One should always be prepared, son. Ready to meet the Lord, our God. Strong in faith and confessed of sin. Be kind to your sister, and your friends. And to animals. When you reach the gates of heaven …’

‘Father, I’m only ten! Will I be meeting God soon then? Is that why you have a boat, to help me cross the river Styx?’

‘Styx is in Hell, son. You ….’

‘I’M GOING TO HELL?’


Thank you Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for continuing to set this 100 word or less challenge. It is certainly a commitment appreciated by many. Other 100 word stories can be read here.

Friday Fictioneers – witch work

A spinning wheel, standing on tiles, with a brick wall backdrop

PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

She played into nervous naivety, intriguing with nervy grit.

We were whitewashed, wounded, whipped

Held in her hands, hoodwinked, hijacked

Every word a lie.

Enchanted and ensorcelled.

Left bamboozled, blind, bemused.

 

Stolen purses

Identity nicked

Native, innocence, naively given

**********

Thank you Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for continuing to set this 100 word (or less) challenge. It is a commitment appreciated by many. Other 100 word stories can be read here

Friday Fictioneers – heavenly connection

An old, canvas covered truck, one side open showing steel pots holding plants/flowers and signs advertising social media contact sites

PHOTO PROMPT © Jan Wayne Fields

For small business like me, social media was a God-send

So many years I hauled ass, and soil, plants, gravel and truck

From this Field Day to that Festival

Door to door, florists and gift emporiums, restaurants and offices

I’d get home more than weary, broken

Someone suggested a Facebook page, Instagram

Pictures sell!

Now, I’ve five trucks, 10 employees and give thanks and praise

For that God-sent connection and the pretty missus I found along the way

She hauls ass like you wouldn’t believe! [85 words]

**********

Not very imaginative this week – been away from creativity for a while 😍

Thank you Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for continuing to set this 100 word or less challenge. It is certainly a commitment appreciated by many. Other 100 word stories can be read here.

Friday Fictioneers – Travel Bug

#fridayfictioneers #flashfiction #rochellewisofffields

Photo prompt by Roger Bultot

I dreamed when I was young of exploring the world. Top of the list was the Trans-Siberian Railway.

I’d imagine being a brave young woman travelling the Far East in the late 1800s or 1920s.

I love to travel, but in the end I’m not that adventurous.

I long for the escape, breathe deep (and perhaps cough) exotic air, touch gently the people and places entrenched in ancient cultures, who smile with grace but wish I’d leave.

Fat wallet in hand, and friendly guide.

Dream in clean sheets at the end of the day. [94 words]

 

Thank you Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for continuing to set this 100 word or less challenge. It is certainly a commitment appreciated by many. Other 100 word stories can be read here.

Friday Fictioneers – Darkness

#rochellewisofffields #flashfiction #fridayfictioneers

Photo prompt from Na’ama Yehuda

Oppression

desperation

claustrophobic disintegration.

I look up and see blue

flossy, puppy clouds

sunny side up

In the glass, reflected back

a total darkness

the oily snake of depression

The world is bleak

people hate-speak

children closet-weep

Darkness speaks.

walls bleed

they weep.

Inside my head

I wail

I flail, dispirited. (51 words)

Thank you Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for continuing to set this 100 word or less challenge. It is certainly a commitment appreciated by many. Other 100 word stories can be read here.

Friday Fictioneers – Home

Thank you Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for continuing to set this 100 word or less challenge. It is certainly a commitment appreciated by many. Other 100 word stories can be read here.

Photo by Roger Bultot

Photo by Roger Bultot

How wonderful. How old are these photos?

Late 1800s, something like that.

Amazing, and precious. I wish I had that kind of past connection. Something as tangible.

Yeah, it is special.

Do you see a family resemblance?

Definitely. I’ve always seen my dad in the older lady. My four times great grandma. She had like 12 kids, who all lived. There are so many cousins. You can’t turn a corner in my hometown without meeting a relation.

You’ve a tribe. Awesome. We’ve never had that. Immigrants.

Sounds lonely. Sad.

It can be. We’re a community of six. [97 words]

I have to admit that I wrote this based on the other photos Rochelle had in her post. By mistake, so perhaps the story doesn’t make sense in relation to the actual prompt. Hope you enjoyed it anyway. 

grandmothers-weinberg-finis

Photo by Rochelle

Friday Fictioneers – la belle France

Photo Prompt Sandra Crook

Photo prompt @ Sandra Crook

So incongruous.

To finally make it to France and yet, not how I imagined it.

Romance, history, tragedy. Architecture. Hot blooded and glorious men.

So far, the airport. Escape via industry. Hop onto the freeway.

Wrong way traffic.

Drivers screaming obscenities.

Magnificently dressed women, dragging poodles.

Choking dogs, barking profanities.

Traffic. Rainclouds.

Refugees. Anger.

Masks.

I cannot find the fabled belle France – culture, fashion, beauty, history.

At least here is a moment to smile. Could be in any village of the world.

Traffic jam une cause de véhicule agricole.

C’est la vie. [94 words]

Thank you Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for continuing to set this 100 word or less challenge. It is certainly a commitment appreciated by many. Other 100 word stories can be read here.

Friday Fictioneer – Gone

Gone Trish Nankivell

Photo prompt @ Trish Nankivell

“They were never seen again,” drawled our loquacious guide, pulling up to the homestead of the abandoned cattle station. The hottest spot for paranormal activity in the southern hemisphere, so said the brochure.

“GONE fishing, GONE troppo, GONE to God. Take yer pick,” he continued. “Never seen again. The locals put it up. The sign. In memoriam, like.”

Twenty-five ghost hunting fanatics stagger from the steaming minibus, dodgy aircon still cranking, every one covered in red dust.

“Inside, cold beers and iced water. In yer go.”

The last to enter the house, I watched him drive away.

Friday fictioneers is a weekly challenge set by Rochelle Wisoff Fields to write a story in response to a photo prompt – in 100 words or less. You can find other stories here.

Friday Fictioneers – New Life

Photo Prompt by Sandra Crook

Photo prompt @ Sandra Crook

“Surprise,” cried my wife, leading me into the garden.

Her smile was huge, and I found myself grinning back.

Her joy was so infectious.

I looked around eagerly.

It wasn’t harvest time, and I wasn’t expecting prize-winning vegetables.

My smile began to slip as I noticed the covered garden signs.

The patch was untended and out of control.

Unexpected.

“Darling,” said my wife, tugging me along. “Look. Our dream has come true.”

I looked to where she pointed.

A new garden sign.

Two words. Baby Born.

Rising from the soil, pink baby fingers.

Aghast, I looked at my smiling wife. (100 words)

Found this spooky ‘art’ the day after I wrote this piece 🙂

Friday fictioneers is a weekly challenge set by Rochelle Wisoff Fields to write a story in response to a photo prompt – in 100 words or less. You can find other stories here.
Thank you Rochelle!