Month: June 2025

FF: The Party

Hello, hope you are having a grand weekend. It’s time for Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers and as usual i am running late. But better late than never. So here i am with another story in 100 words, inspired by Rochelle’s photo. If you want to read the other stories inspired by this prompt, click here.

Photo prompt © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

The Party

Words 100

“The party isn’t until 7 pm.” My husband looked at his watch, “how come you’re ready?”

 “Aunty requested me to come early and help her get dressed.”

My husband gave a snort. “You always rave about the way she wears her sari and make up. Why would she need you?”

I hesitated. “Perhaps she’s feeling her age.”

My husband grunted and thankfully let it go.

I had kept my promise. All Aunty wanted was moral support. She needed someone to hold her hand and soothe her jangling nerves.

Her husband of 60 years had raised his hand at her, again.

***

Thank you for reading, i will be along to read the other stories inspired by this photo in a bit.

For anyone interested, Chapter 17 of Some Sugar & Spice is up. Or if you prefer poems in the haikai genre, click here

#haibun 3

This week, i am sharing a haibun of mine for your kind perusal and comments.

Published in Failed Haiku Volume 10 Issue 109 2025

Thank you for visiting. If you would like to read my other poems in this genre, please click here

For anyone interested, Chapter 16 of Some Sugar & Spice is up.

FF: The Wedding

Hello! Happy to be on time this time, or at least not late for Rochelle’s weekly party – Friday Fictioneers, a story in 100 words based on a photo prompt kindly provided by Ted Strutz. To read the other stories inspired by this prompt and join the fun, click here.

Photo Prompt © Ted Strutz

The Wedding

Words 100

“Say cheese!” Rupam clicked the newly-wedded couple’s picture. “You both are looking great. You can frame this photo.” He turned to his kids. “Come and touch your mother’s feet and say goodbye.”

“Isn’t Mother going to live us anymore?” Sukhi, their five-year-old asked. “And who is that man next to her?”

Rupam hustled his children. “Let’s go. Your mother has a new husband and she’s going to live with him from now on.”

“But seriously Rupam,” his friend frowned, “how you can get your own wife married off to another beats me.”

“Much better than having them bump me off.”

***

Inspired by a true incident:

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/up-murder-man-gets-wife-married-bablu-vikas-radhika-katar-jot-scared-after-cement-murder-up-man-gets-wife-married-to-lover-then-a-plot-twist-8061918

Thanks for visiting.

For anyone interested, Chapter 15 of Some Sugar & Spice is up.

FF: Strawberry Moon

Hello and welcome to yet another edition of Friday Fictioneers hosted by Rochelle. And once again i am late to the party but better late than ever. So off we go to my submission this week on a photo full of possibilities provided by Dale. To read the other stories inspired by this photo or join the challenge click here.

Photo Prompt © Dale Rogerson

Strawberry Moon

Words 100

Darkness fell on a dark day.

Free from work, she sought distraction in doom scrolling. But instead of feeling better, she felt worse. Everything seemed to taunt her, mock her failings, her inadequacies, of how she just wasn’t enough.

Restless, she wandered to the balcony.

She gasped at the intense blast of heat that hit her. Not a soul, not even a bird or dog stirred.

Yet, there was someone else who was sleepless.

Consistently showing up, apparently unaware of their imperfections. No…flaunting them with elan and grace.

Feeling her spirits lift, she raised a toast to the gleaming moon.

***

Thank you for visiting, do share your thoughts, comments and suggestions.

For anyone interested, Chapter 14 of Some Sugar & Spice is up.

#tanka 4 & 5

Hello everyone, i am back with a couple of my tanka published in haikuKATHA Issue 34 2024.

Thank you for visiting. Do share your thoughts and if you would like to read more of these kind of poems, click here

For anyone interested, Chapter 13 of Some Sugar & Spice is up.

FF: Travel Tales

Hello everyone! Welcome to another edition of Rochelle’s party of Friday Fictioneers. Sorry to have missed last week’s challenge as I was traveling. The travel bug seems to have really caught me – i can’t even think of stories that aren’t travel bound 😀

This week’s story is a true incident revived by the photo kindly provided by David Stewart. Thank you Rochelle, thank you David. If you want to join the fun click here

Photo Prompt © David Stewart

Travel Tales

Words 100

Yes!

Triumphant, I sank into my seat, easy-peasy. My first solo train travel from Delhi to Mumbai.

As our train chugged out, I broke into a sweat.

What if I had boarded the train going to Kolkata instead of Mumbai?

I couldn’t very well stick out my head to check the train number.

Should I ask my fellow passenger?

How embarrassing!

The pantry guy arrived to ask my dinner preference. With studied nonchalance I asked, “What is the next station?”

“Kota.”

Was that on the Mumbai or Kolkata side?

“Ratlam.”

If only I had studied geography.

“Vadodra, Surat, Mumbai Central.”

***

Thank you for visiting, hope you have a great weekend.

For anyone interested, Chapter 12 of Some Sugar & Spice is up.