Category: Flash Fiction

Lessons in Practicality

Words 201

 “Namaste. Fancy meeting you here!”

“Why? Do you think it is too fancy for us?”

“No! I just meant I didn’t expect…”

“We are shopping for our trip,” Mrs Sharma gave a dramatic pause, “to Europe.”

“Wow! Did you win the lottery?”

Mrs Sharma expanded with gratification while Mr Sharma seemed to shrink.

“Sort of. It is an all expense paid vacation sponsored by our beloved daughters.”

“Don’t you have two sons?”

“And two daughters-in-law.”

“That’s very generous of them!”

“We’ve done our bit. Now it’s their turn. It was such a surprise when on our 40^th anniversary, they gifted us the tickets…”

“Nonsense!” Mr Sharma butted in. “You left them little choice but…”

“Didn’t you want to purchase a muffler? Go on I’m coming.” Mrs Sharma pushed him.

Mumbling, he pottered away.

“Poor thing, he doesn’t like international travel. And with my brother’s hospitalization, he is even more stressed and nervous.”

“What happened?

“He was involved in a car accident.”

“Oh no! I will pray for his speedy recovery.”

“That’s unlikely.” Mrs Sharma held up her crossed fingers. “So I am hoping that he manages to hang on for the next two weeks. I don’t want to cancel the trip.”

***

Written for the Sunday Photo Fiction – a story in 200 words or less. Thanks to Alistair Forbes for hosting the challenge and Sally Ann Hodgekiss for the beautiful photo. To read the other stories inspired by this prompt click here.

Thanks for reading and leaving me a note 🙂

For readers of Moonshine, here's Chapter 141

 

It Happened One Night

Words 101

“Hurry or you’ll miss the train!”

Pushing and shoving, they squeezed into the car before Grandpa drove off all by himself.

“It’s so dark and eerie.” Lilly shivered.

“Ghosts live in this jungle.” Rishi said with relish.

“Mamma!”

The car shuddered to a stop.

A blinding darkness engulfed them. Crickets shrieked. Lilly whimpered.

Grandpa opened the bonnet.

“Let me see.” A disembodied voice said.

Rishi dropped the torch.

The engine sputtered to life.

“Thank you.” Grandpa offered money.

“Money is of no use to me.” The shadow moved. “This boy…”

Gasping, Rishi threw off the crushing weight of the Unexplained Mysteries.

***

Written for the Friday Fictioneers – a story in 100 words or less. Thank you Rochelle for hosting the challenge and the photo prompt. To read the other stories inspired by this prompt click here.

Thank you for reading 🙂

For readers of Moonshine, here's Chapter 140

The Addict

Words 100

 “How was your day out with Piya?”

“She dragged me through the shops for hours.”

“Couldn’t she find what she was looking for?”

“Oh, she wasn’t looking for anything in particular.”

“Ah. Window shopping.”

“Not exactly.”

“Then?”

“She must have tried on at least a 100 pair of shoes…”

“What!”

“In 10 different shops.”

“Did she buy any?”

“She settled for 3 pairs…”

“Settled?”

“She was on a shoestring budget.”

“Yet she could afford 3 pairs?”

“She simply had to complete her century.”

“You mean she already had 97 pairs?”

“99 pairs. Two pairs to get the next century going.”

***

Written for Friday Fictioneers – a story in 100 words or less. Thanks to Rochelle for hosting the challenge and Magaly Guerroro for the photo prompt. To read the other stories inspired by this prompt click here

This post is inspired by my baby sistah 😀 And going by the number of shoe addict quotes, she is clearly not alone 😉

“You know you are a shoe addict if you think there is always room for one more pair”

“What do women want? Shoes.” ― Mimi Pond

“I would hate for someone to look at my shoes and say Oh my God! they looks so comfortable!” Christian Louboutin

“The look he shot her was incredulous in the extreme. “You have a filing system for your shoes?” ― Norah Wilson,

“You can’t buy happiness but you can buy shoes and that’s kind of the same thing”

😀 Hope you liked!

Double Standards

Words 100

“Did your parents agree to our wedding?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“They were skeptical about the morals of a girl who was living in.”

“Didn’t you tell them you insisted?”

“Even if I did, it wouldn’t make any difference.”

“Why not?”

“How could you give in to my demands?”

“I love you. I cannot refuse you anything.”

“If you can’t stand up to me, how will you stand up to the world?”

“Don’t you love me?”

“I do.”

“Then?”

“I cannot go against my parents’ wishes.”

“If you cannot stand up to them, you don’t deserve to stand by my side.”

***

Written for the Friday Fictioneers – a story in 100 words or less. Thanks to Rochelle for hosting and Dale Rogerson for the photo prompt. To read the other stories inspired by this prompt, click here.

Thank you for reading.

 

The Amusement Park

Words 198

 

“Come along Granny! Let’s ride the Columbus.”

“No dear! I can’t handle so much excitement.”

“Then let’s go for a gentle train ride on Piggy.” Lilly offered.

“No darling. I’ll just sit here and watch the fun. Go on now.”

Great! Now even your granddaughter pities you.

Just because you lost your husband.

To another woman.

Your own sister.

And now Death had taken them both.

“Granny! You are missing all the fun!”

Snehlata waved to her granddaughter.

She knew how it worked.

A gentle swing at first, a slow build up and then an earthshaking stomach heaving nerve wracking swing from one end of the horizon to the other – relentlessly, over and over again.

Just like it had for the past three decades.

Pity that her best ride had been also been her last.

Switching her sister’s insulin injection and then parading as her ghost had been an exhilarating experience.

But those days were behind her.

It was time for a Piggy ride.

“Hello Ramesh. How’s your wife?”

“She’s bedridden, dependent and cranky as hell.”

“I am so sorry to hear that. Do you think she might like me to visit?”

Perhaps one last roller coaster ride…

***

Written for the Sunday Photo Fiction – a story in 200 words or less. Thanks to Alistair Forbes for hosting the challenge and the photo prompt. To read the other stories inspired by this prompt click here.

Thanks for reading and look forward to reading your comments 🙂

“What’s wrong with him?”

“He’s had a bad day.”

“Did somebody die? Is he ill?”

“The heat is killing.”

“His office is air-conditioned. We had a power cut.”

“His boss is mean to him.”

“So?”

“You don’t understand!”

“I’m listening.”

“He’s not used to being abused.”

“And you are?”

***

In response to the Daily Post’s Daily Prompt – Denial and inspired by Nicola’s 50-word dialogue only story. As usual, I await your judgement with bated breath 😀

Hard Earned

Words 100

 “Nice view! When did you move here?” Raina asks.

“About a year ago.”

“Wasn’t that when you mailed me?”

I nod.

“I am sorry I didn’t reply. I was also having family issues…”

“Never mind.”

“Who looks after your daughter?”

“She goes to a crèche after school.”

“Isn’t that expensive?”

“Yes.”

“Did you sort out matters with your in-laws?”

“Ye…es.”

“Where is your husband?”

“In India.”

“Lucky girl! Mine doesn’t let me breathe without his permission.”

“Coffee?”

“You’ve done well. I’d give my eye teeth for this kind of freedom.”

My tongue slides to the empty space.

I did.

***

Written for the Friday Fictioneers – a story in 100 words or less. Thanks to Rochelle for being such a bindaas hostess and Fatima Fakier Deria for the photo prompt. To read the other stories inspired this photo click here.

And thank you for reading 🙂

The War Within

Words 192

 Enough was enough.

She was too old for all this nonsense.

She couldn’t – wouldn’t take any more.

She would pack her bags today.

Her shoulders drooped.

But where would she go?

Her parents?

But they were staying with her brother – would she be welcome?

Where did she belong? Where was her home?

With her husband?

Her children?

Her parents?

Her feet dragged as she walked to meet her destiny.

The swirling waters called out to her.

This was home.

Her final resting place.

She eased down and sat with her legs dangling just above the water.

The waves lapped higher and higher, calling insistently.

She yearned to give in.

It would be so easy.

A soft bed.

A restful endless sleep.

Perhaps they would miss her, appreciate her – or perhaps not.

They would be too busy coping with her absence.

How could she be so selfish?

How had it come to this?

She had wanted to save the world.

And now she couldn’t save her family?

She stood up.

The waves weren’t calling her.

They were urging her to go back.

Not because they loved her.

But because she loved them.

***

Written for the Sunday Photo Fiction – a story in 200 words or less. Thanks to Alistair Forbes for hosting it and Jules Paige for the photo prompt. To read the other stories inspired by this prompt click here.

Thanks for reading. Would love to know your thoughts.

For readers of Moonshine, here's Chapter 128

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