Memory #FridayFictioneers

Lots of things were for sale in the front yard, a whole house had been turned out. I walked slowly, not intending to buy anything, just passing time.

Something caught my eyes; a large oval mirror that was reflecting a wooden shack with trees. I looked around but there was only red brick houses and clipped bushes.

I picked up the mirror, the view didn’t change. A painting? No, it really was a mirror but the reflection of that shack was trapped inside.

I brought it for two bucks and it’s still a mystery to me today.

 

(Inspired by; https://rochellewisoff.com/2018/08/29/31-august-2018/ with thanks.)

 

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Through The Mist #TwitteringTales

Everything was hushed at 6 am as I hide in the forest, breathe held. Through the misty trees ran the wild horses with their coats of many colours, their hoofs pounding the earth, manes and tails flying in the wind. It was a beautiful sight and well worth the wait.

 

(Inspired by; https://katmyrman.com/2018/08/28/twittering-tale-99-28-august-2018/ with thanks.)

 

 

Settings #1LinerWeds

It was a writer’s retreat; a converted boat house on a large lake surrounded by inspiring and breathtaking landscapes.

(Inspired by; https://lindaghill.com/2018/08/29/one-liner-wednesday-settings/ with thanks.)

 

Caught #WritePhoto

The morning sun shone through the hole of the bending tree. The wood cutter looked up, shielding his eyes from the glare. He could see the rays of light exploding against the tree’s trunk. It’s a blessing, he thought, shifting his hand on the handle of his axe as he said his thanks to the sun god and the goddess of nature.

The wood cutter continued his walk into the forest, feeling like today was going to be good. He approached the first tree he planned to cut down in the small clearing. He begin chopping, the sounds of his axe startling birds into the sky and echoing in the other trees.

He was about halfway through the trunk when he heard the crying. He was about to swing again but the noise paused his movement. He listened and realised it was a baby. Lowering his axe, he followed the sound to the other side of the clearing and spotted a wicker basket poking out from under a bush.

Putting his axe down, he pulled the basket it towards himself and and saw in the wrapped in a blanket, a baby boy.

‘I was right!’ the wood cutter cried, ‘today is a blessed day.’

(Inspired by; https://scvincent.com/2018/08/23/thursday-photo-prompt-caught-writephoto/ with thanks).

Big Art #100WW

The art competition was under way. Artists had started at first light, sketching their master pieces on the closed road. The crowds had gathered, stopping to stare, talk and point. The judges made the rounds, muttering to themselves.

Jason sat back from his grizzly bear holding a rainbow tuna. He had finished and felt, with a glance at the nearest paintings, that he was in with a good chance of winning. And what a prize! A nice payout, his paintings in the gallery and a boost to his name.

The judges came by and Jason held his breath whilst they decided.

 

(Inspired by; https://bikurgurl.com/2018/08/22/100-word-wednesday-week-85/ with thanks).

Float #FridayFictioneers

The flames flickered on the water, their reflections dots of yellow light, almost as if the moon had broken into pieces and spilled across the surface. Waves rippled as more floating candles drifted out. Each carried an unwritten message, whispered from the heart.

Vicky didn’t  know what to wish for. She held her lit candle above the lapping lake and thought. The only thing that kept coming to mind was for world peace, but wasn’t that impossible to wish for? She guessed nothing really was and with a shrugged, she made that wish and set her floating candle towards the others.

 

(Inspired by; https://rochellewisoff.com/2018/08/22/24-august-2018/ with thanks).

 

Lion #3LineTales

The holiday had been dull so far, the wilderness was too hot and dry. They got in the jeep that morning and traveled to their next campsite, along the way they heard the roaring and slowed down. Tumbling across the road came two lion cubs, it was the highlight of the trip.

(Inspired by; https://only100words.xyz/2018/08/16/three-line-tales-week-133/ with thanks.)

 

Black Balloon #PhotoChallenge

The woman was holding a black balloon. I walk slowly towards her across, the harvested cornfield. There was no wind or sound, everything had frozen.

White and grey puffy clouds lined a pale blue-grey sky. In the distance, more harvested fields stretched, the earth brown or pale yellow. There no trees or houses, nothing else but her with the balloon.

‘Hello!’ I tried to call out, but I didn’t hear my own voice speaking.

I came closer and saw the woman had no head. Stopping, I wondered what was going on. She wasn’t invisible, for I could see her arms, hands and legs. She was wearing a stripy top and a black skirt with black ballerina slippers. In her hands was the white string of the black balloon which was floating just about where her face should have been.

‘Who are you?’ I spoke, once again my words came out silent.

A few more steps and I was before her, though I left a wide gap in between. She didn’t move and at first it seemed like she wasn’t aware of me, but then I guess without a head how could she have been? Then her hand reached out and she offered me the string.

I looked up at the balloon and it was one of those party kinds, like kids have at birthdays, only it was as black as midnight.

‘I don’t want it, thanks,’ I said, shaking and waving my arms no, so she got the message.

The woman’s arm reached out further, offering me the balloon strongly.

‘No!’ I yelled.

She pressed the string into my hand and though I didn’t grasp it, the string wrapped around my palm and laced over my fingers. I gasped and looked up, the balloon was now just above my head.

I shot out my hand to give it back to the headless woman but she had gone!

Something tugged on me, I glanced at the string then the balloon before I was pulled upwards and away, my feet swinging off the ground. I tried to let go of the string, but my hand was glued to it. The balloon rose up with me attached and we flew across the bare fields.

Up and up the balloon took me, right through the clouds. With my other hand, I grasped the wrist holding the string and tried to release my fingers. I struggled against the unknown force that was holding my hand shut, twisting in the air like a mad puppet.

The balloon came to a stop, my hand came free and the string slipped away. I plummeted. My mouth wide open in a scream which was silenced, my arms and legs flapped in the air, my fingers trying to grip anything and finding nothing.

There was no time to try and reach for the string of the black balloon, it was gone in seconds.

I twisted, tumbled, fell through clouds, felt the wind against my skin like an angry slap. I clawed at the sky, I screamed after the balloon and the headless woman. I saw the yellow and brown earth racing up to meet me. I knew I was going to hit it and there was nothing I could do!

And then, I slammed into my car’s steering wheel, felt the hard leather pressing against my forehead. My seat belt tightly constricting my chest and stomach. I heard the windscreen wipes whooshing, the rain hammering down and the growling of an unhappy car engine.

I look up and there is blood everywhere.

 

(Inspired by; https://mindlovemiserysmenagerie.wordpress.com/2018/08/21/photo-challenge-227/ with thanks).

Drain #TwitteringTales

There was something down below calling his name. Nate stopped over the half open drain cover and looked. A ball of white light was rising up, taking the shape of a goldfish.

‘Why?’ echoed an eerie voice.

Nate stumbled backwards, past memories flooding him.

 

(Inspired by; https://katmyrman.com/2018/08/21/twittering-tale-98-21-august-2018/ with thanks).

Circle #WritePhoto

The music from the ball floated along beside us as we ran through the back garden. Lights of all colours glowed and twinkled as they decorated the house and gardens. The musical tinkles of the fountains and the voices of the masked guests faded into the background as we reached the final hedges.

I stopped to get my breath and his hand slipped from mine. The shadows were long and dark this far away and there was hardly any noise from the party now. I pressed my hands to my stomach, the pain of my corset digging into my ribs.

I surprised that I had been able to run in the huge gold and sliver ball gown with the large gold wings on the back, but then love makes us do things we wouldn’t normally be able to do.

He was looking to find a way through the hedge, his blue and green male fairy costume no longer sparkling. He held the candle in it’s coloured glass cage up, the only flicker of light here. He turned his masked face to mine, took my hand again and led me through a gap where once there might have been a doorway.

Then we were free of the staring eyes and accusing whispers. The Lord’s daughter and famous poet’s son. We were alone at last and could do what we wanted. I laughed, overwhelmed. He laughed too then came closer to me. I felt the heat from him, the brush of his skin against mine. The touch of his lips.

We walked. The candle light showing that everything was darker and wilder on this side, the plants left to their own devices. Branches scraped against us, slowing us down, almost as if they we warning us to go back. We didn’t listen but wandered on to a place we had visited repeatedly over the last year; the small stone circle at the heart of the woods.

It took a few minutes then we almost stumbled on the stones. The trees hadn’t kept away, their roots spreading and saplings growing. There was a patch of tall grass around the stones but nothing more.

He placed the lantern down on the flattest topped stone and we sat down on the widest one which had possibly fallen on it’s side long ago.

‘Help me take off this mask and wings,’ I said quietly.

‘No,’ he replied, his fingers curling around my chin, ‘I like you like this. I can pretend you are a fairy queen and I’ve just snatched you away from the fairy court.’

I giggled as we kissed and we soon became lost in each other.

 

(Inspired by; https://scvincent.com/2018/08/16/thursday-photo-prompt-circle-writephoto/ with thanks.)