Category: Writing Challenges

FF: Ostrich in the Sand

Hello and welcome to another edition of Friday Fictioneers with Rochelle leading the way, this time with a photo from Nancy Richy for a story in 100 words. If you want to join in, click here. Thank you Rochelle and Nancy.

Photo Prompt © Nancy Richy

FF: Ostrich in the Sand

Words 100

Quick, this was his chance!

Ron began to tiptoe

He froze.

The familiar shuffle of footsteps.

No time to lose, he dived behind the sofa.

“Yes darling,” Her voice floated across. “the coast is clear. Let’s party!”

A titter.

“Yes darling. Just you and me. Oh Ron? He ran off to play football. Time he learned to take responsibility for his actions. Do you want to go out for dinner?” She lowered her voice. “Or should we order in and…?”

“Mom!” Ron sprang up, “You have a boyfriend?!”

Mom’s eyes gleamed with mischief as she stood there hands on hips.

***

Thank you for reading and leaving me a note. And in case anyone is interested, a new story: Some Sugar & Spice is now live! Hope to see you there as well.

Have a wonderful week.

FF: You Can’t Beat Them

Hello, everyone, hope you are having a good week. I am back with another attempt to participate in Rochelle’s party of Friday Fictioneers. The story is inspired by the photo by Jennifer Pendergast. Thank you Rochelle and Jennifer! If you wish to participate or read the other stories based on this prompt, click here

PHOTO PROMPT © Jennifer Pendergast

When you can’t Beat Them…

Words 100

“Enough playing games. What about work?” I grumble at my offspring glued to the screen, fingers dancing over the keyboard.

He nods agreeably without budging. And he is in my room.

Sighing, I scroll through the apps on the iPad.

I sink into ‘Zen Word’ until I am lured by the ‘Royal Match.’ I start by renovating his castle, the garden, decorating his bed, the dog’s bed, setting up his library…

Rebelling, I switch to ‘Nut Sort’ where one has to sort nuts by color.

Having done this for years, in no time, I top the charts. Next ‘Hidden Objects.’

***

Thank you for reading and especially for leaving me a comment. Hope you have a great weekend too.

PS: For readers of Silver Streaks or anyone else interested in the long format of stories please visit 3S: A 2025 Update

Cheers.

PPS: After posting, i went back to my game and it struck me that the story was about something else. Hence, a minor tweak in the title and last line. And some re-framing to keep within 100 words. Apologies for any inconvenience.

TankaTuesday#7

Hello and welcome to my second post of the day. A rarity I assure you but the thing is I thought I had posted my entry for Collen’s #TankaTuesday challenge but apparently I had just thought about it. But thankfully, the unexpected rains washed away the pollution daze and I am double posting before it is too late. The rules are to to write in any of the 24 syllabic forms of Japanese poetry using a kigo or season word as an inspiration. While there are 24 seasons in Japan, we are allowed to use season words as per our region.

Here’s my tanka for the challenge:

jobless

browsing the internet for

Diwali deals

buying clothes for

the summer

As you may have guessed, the Indian or dare I say the global festival of lights, Diwali is the kigo word here. Wishing everyone a very Happy and Prosperous Diwali. May all the darkness be banished, evil vanquished and peace reign supreme.

FF: Stuff of Dreams

Hello and welcome to another edition of Friday Fictioneers with Rochelle leading the way, this time with a photo from David Stewart for a story in 100 words. If you want to join in, click here. Thank you Rochelle and David.

FF: The Stuff of Dreams

Words 100

A cheer broke out from the crowd as Parul arrived. She had just won the gold in the 5000m after yesterday’s silver in steeplechase.

“Quite a journey from running in sugarcane fields, training with boys, overcoming societal pressures to the top of the victory stand. Congratulations!”

Still out of breath, Parul smiled. “Thank you.”

“What a thrilling finish!  Throughout you were trailing and whoosh – in the last 20 m you overtook the lead. How did that happen?”

 “It’s been my dream to join the police. It popped into my head that a DSP post is  guaranteed for gold medallists.”   

***

Inspired by a true story of Parul Chaudhary, the first Indian woman to win gold at the 5000m race, Asian Games 2023.  Click to watch her thrilling win!

FF: Child’s Play

Hello and welcome to another edition of Rochelle’s weekly challenge of a story in 100 words – Friday Fictioneers – based on the marvelous photo prompt kindly provided by Dale. I had so many threads running for this one that I just kept vacillating between them. Anyway ultimately settled on the first one. Hope you like 🙂 If you like you may click here to read and add your own story. See you there!

PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson

FF: Child’s Play

Words 100

“Your pills darling.” Rekha hugged her new husband, “Thanks for fixing the lights and my favorite pink roses.”

“But,” Jim frowned, “I didn’t fix the lights or send roses. Don’t you prefer red?”

“Who could it be in this deserted place? Stalker? Ghost?”

“Don’t…”

The lights flickered and a disembodied voice spoke. “Shaina my love….”

“Wh…who…” Jim quavered gripping Rekha.

“Get away from my wife…”

“She’s my wife.”  

“She’s mine. Leave her or you’re dead…”

“Nooooo!” Jim screamed and collapsed at Rekha’s feet.

“Well that was easy.” Rohit emerged from the shadows.

“I told you he was terrified of ghosts.”

***

Thanks for visiting. Looking forward to hearing from you as well. Have a grand weekend.

TankaTuesday#6

It’s time for Colleens #TankaTuesday the weekly challenge (October 22 – November 6). The rules are to to write in any of the 24 syllabic forms of Japanese poetry using a kigo or season word as an inspiration. While there are 24 seasons in Japan, we are allowed to use season words as per our region.

Here’s my tanka for the challenge:

hazy morning

jogging before

Diwali

deciding to wear

a sari

Although Diwali could be the kigo word but since this year it is on 12th of November I thought perhaps it may be too early to use it. Yet it may be noted, everything is geared around Diwali now, particularly shopping. But anyway I have used ‘hazy morning’ as the kigo word as this time of the year is notorious for pollution haze, particularly in Delhi region due to a variety of factors which apparently are beyond correction. I am presuming that most, if not all, will be familiar with Diwali the festival of lights when Lord Rama returned home after spending 14 years in the wilderness and defeating the evil King Ravan. A sari is the traditional unstitched garment that is 6 yards (5.5 meters) long. I am hoping the advantages of opting for such an apparel would be self-evident 😉

Thanks for visiting. Cheers

MWWP: Once Upon a Time

Hello hope this week has been treating you well. It’s time for Eugi’s Moonwashed Weekly Prompt challenge. The prompt is Either Or. It can be any variation of the prompt or the image (below).

Once Upon a Time

A world of trees
Green, brown and orange
Reaching up to wave at blue
Skies smudged with white
Tall grasses twinkle
With drops of dew
Shielding centipedes, mites,
Leeches, frogs to name a few

Already dark and time for
The football match
Up on the roof
The rats and squirrels
Having a field day
While in the kitchen
Mom plays hockey
with a rat or is it a shrew?

Dad practiced duelling
snakes while Mom had
her dessert under the
Watchful eye of a King cobra
Bees and wasps swirled
bestowing the gift of a plump arm
or a misshapen face just like
rashes from insects and cacti

Exams denounced
Packed off to picnics
Streams swirled around our legs
All through the night
Those dratted parrots pecked at
mangoes and summer vacations
with afternoon shifts
to shoo parrots

Swinging high and higher
Climbing guava trees taking home
Red bites that turned yellow and black
Bleeding gashes wrapped in
Crushed marigold leaves
For a stye in the eye
Seven strokes of mango leaf stem
Did the trick

The nearest town of one shop
A couple of miles away
Never did we ever cross a street
Nor venture to shop or crave to eat
No TV, no phone no internet
All I missed were books
Other than those I had
Read a gazillion times

Would I go back?
Why when the path is ahead
Cocooned in the warm clasp of
Unfearful memories
Bouncing through
Life’s myriad adventures
Much like the fools that rush in
But that is another story…

The photo reminded me of my childhood home (except it wasnt that orange!) and couldn’t help penning a few lines – not quite sure if you can call it a poem. But if you managed to come this far thank you for sticking it out till the end of what is quite a faithful account of my idyllic childhood.

PS: I was unable to format the poem into paragraphs and hence I took the help of colors. Apologies if it is looking weird.

PPS: It was looking even more weird with the alternating colors so used this format (Pullquote). At least the paragraphs are clearly demarcated. Do let me know if you have any suggestions for formats to use. Thank you.

TankaTuesday#5

Hello I am back after a week of prayers, celebrations, socializing and gorging 😀 And it’s already time for Colleen’s #TankaTuesday challenge where the rules are to to write in any of the 24 syllabic forms of Japanese poetry using a kigo or season word as an inspiration. While there are 24 seasons in Japan, we are allowed to use season words as per our region.

She leaves

a quietude behind

Vijayadashami

praying for the guns

to fall silent

I have used ‘Vijayadashami’ (literally victory tenth day) as the kigo word here. Vijayadashami (which was on 24th October this year) is celebrated after Navratri and is the 10th day that marks the end of Durga Puja and the celebration of Her victory over Mahishasura (the buffalo demon) and the triumph of good over evil. After the celebrations, there is a hush and lull in the neighborhood.

Vijayadashami is also celebrated as Dussehra, the day when Lord Rama defeated the evil king Raavan, whose effigies are burnt to symbolize the burning of the evils within us as well as the triumph of good over evil.

Thank you for reading, would love to know your comments and suggestion. Have a great weekend.

FF: The Visitors

Hello, hope you are having a grand week. I am busy as the Durga Puja celebrations are on. Yet I am pleased that I could manage to post an entry to this week’s Friday Fictioneers challenge hosted by Rochelle. I will be along to read your stories in a bit. Click here to read the other stories inspired by the photo prompt provided by Liz Young. Thanks Liz.

Photo Prompt Liz Young

FF: The Visitors

Words 100

“This is terrible!”

“The innocent are suffering the consequences of hate and greed.”

“We must stop this endless cycle of senseless killing!”

 “What can we do?”

“Let’s go away!”

“But where?”

“I know the perfect place.” Their leader said.

“Are we at the right place?”

“I think so,” whispered one. “What do you think?”

“Let’s go and find out.” Their leader ventured a bit further, only to stop short.

“Abort mission! Withdraw!” The leader ordered.

“What’s happening?” Powering their spaceship they surveyed the scene of carnage and mass destruction.

“Déjà vu.  The Blue Planet is no longer perfect for life.”

***

Happy Durga Puja to all of you and may the Mother shower peace, prosperity and oneness on us.

FF: Over in a Flash

Here’s my entry to this week’s Friday Fictioneers hosted by Rochelle, a story in 100 words based on the photo prompt. Click here to read other stories for this challenge and add your own story.

PHOTO PROMPT © Rowena Curtin

FF: Over in a Flash

Words 100

“Granny please tell me that story again.”

“That day,” Granny began, “we were all so excited to be meeting up at our beach house. It was a clear day, blue skies with wispy clouds, an inky blue…”

“Who all were coming?”

“Everyone! Your Aunt from India, Uncle from Canada, their children…”

“Why were they coming?”

“There were several reasons. It was my 75th and your 10th birthday, your parents anniversary. Your Uncle’s promotion, your Aunt wanted to introduce her fiancé. Oh, that was such a joyous time with so many things to celebrate!”

“Why did they drop those bombs Granny?”

***

Thanks for visiting. Have a good day.