Month: September 2016

Written for Friday Fictioneers a story in 100 words or less. Thank you Rochelle for hosting this challenge and Amy Reese for the photo prompt.

Her Nightmare

Words 100

Heart thudding, she flew down the corridor.

She had to see him. Where was he? Was he in surgery? Or had he been discharged?

She asked at the desk, at the nurses’ station. She hurried from one place to another to another in growing agitation.

The mortuary was cold, silent and deserted except for rows and rows of bodies. Shivering and shaking, she forced herself to check each one, one by one.

There he was.

Her heart stilled. She put out a hand – only to touch air.

With a gasp, she sat up.

Her nightmare was far from over.

***

 

 

Daffodils

Words 200

“Good morning children. Take out your English Readers and turn to Page 5. Daffodils by…”

“Teacher, what are daffodils?”

“Flowers.”

“What kind of flowers? The red ones that bloom during Holi or…

“I wandered lonely as a cloud…”

“Teacher, why lonely? The other clouds would give it company?”

“We’ll discuss this later Molly.”

“Teacher! What are vales? And isn’t the spelling o’er wrong?

“No Molly. Poets are allowed to write like that.”

“That’s not fair!”

“Enough Molly. A host, of golden daffodils.”

“Host? Are they having a party? How can flowers host a party?”

“It’s not that kind of a host Molly. He means a lot of daffodils.”

Molly subsided. She loved stories. Where was the story here? Why say something but mean something else? How would one understand? What kind of flowers – red or yellow? Ten thousand flowers! She would have loved to see them tossing their heads in sprightly – aha a new word – dance.

“…pay attention Molly…the daffodils beat the sea in their dance of joy.

“But Teacher, that’s not the sea. It is a lake.”

“Hold out your hand! Now get out of class.”

“It’s still a lake.” Molly sniffed as she walked out.

***

PS: Oft this flashes upon my inward eye but I now know what daffodils look like – thanks to Sunday Photo Fiction 😀 Click here for other stories on this prompt

PPS: A partly fictionalized account of my first brush with poetry (not counting nursery rhymes). Opinionated and unimaginative, as an 8 year-old, I couldn’t really grasp the essence of the poem (can’t say much has changed since then). Yet strangely enough, that day is crystal clear – where I sat in class, the teacher, my thoughts (I didn’t say most of these things). I also remember being very skeptical about “Continuous as the stars that shine
  And twinkle on the milky way.” Flowers didn’t twinkle did they? The last stanza of the poem was (and remains) my favorite – been there, done (doing) that 😉

Corporal punishment was the norm in those days, at least in my first school. Apologies (bouquets, kudos and thanks) are due to my English teacher. She did mistake the lake as the sea. I did raise an objection. But she not only gracefully accepted her oversight but also publicly boosted my morale (and bighead) which could be the reason why that day is so clearly etched in my memory. 😀

Thank you for reading – do share your thoughts and memories of this poem or childhood.

For readers of Moonshine, here's Chapter 88 and Calvin

 

Changeless

Words 100

 

Her wedding was around the corner. By all counts she should be thrilled. But worry gnawed at her.

“Mamma, why do girls have to leave their home?”

“That’s tradition.”

“Traditions can change.”

“What’s the matter darling? Wedding jitters?”

“No.”

“You do love…?”

“It’s not about me Mamma! How will you live alone?”

“Don’t worry darling. I will manage.”

“But how? It’s always been about me. My health, my education, my career -nothing is about you. Once I leave what will you do?”

“I’ll think of something.”

“Like?”

“Your father needs me.”

“You mean…?

“Yes darling. I will return to Earth.”

***

Written for Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers – a story in 100 words or less. Thanks to Roger Bultot for the photo prompt this week. For other stories on this prompt click here

Thank you for reading – look forward to your comments.

View from the Top

Words 168

 Microphones were being thrust into his face, “How does it feel to have reached the top? To be where very few have ever been?”

Raj stared at himself onscreen. Were the thudding heart, the screaming nerves and the shakiness discernible?

He didn’t think so as he saw himself flash his famous crooked smile, raise his expensive shades with panache and wave to the hysterical milling crowd.

“Great. Just great.”

What would they have said if he had told them the truth? That he felt no joy in it. That he often wished he were still at the bottom of the ladder, his dreams and innocence intact?

“What message would you like to give to your fans?”

Cherish the little moments, call your mother, play with your children, choose your friends with care, eschew dark corners, treacherous turns and rotting boards. Most of all – beware of your own traitorous hand that rises to strike the fatal blow.

He pumped his fist in the air. “Just go for it!”

***

Written for Priceless Joy’s Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers – a story, in 100 – 175 words, based on the photo prompt. Thanks Joy Pixley for the photo 🙂 For more stories on this prompt click here.

Do let me know what you thought of the view from the top!

For readers of Moonshine, here's Chapter 87 and Calvin - this scene may be familiar for many ;)