FF: A Knotty Tale

A big hello to all of you and welcome to my first flash fiction in over a year. I am thrilled to be able to participate in Rochelleโ€™s weekly challenge of a story in 100 words โ€“ Friday Fictioneers โ€“ based on an atmospheric photo prompt kindly provided by Dale. Thank you Rochelle, thank you Dale. Looking forward to reading all the other stories on this prompt.

If you like, you may click here to read and add your own story. See you there!

Photo Prompt ยฉ Dale Rogerson

A Knotty Tale

Words 100

Ms Ghari sat in one corner, her knobbly fingers going knit purl, knit purl.

She was scowling and mumbling. โ€œHalloween!!! Such a ruckus with no consideration for a poor old woman. You think I am mad? I will show you.โ€

She caressed the red wool cap she had knitted. This was no ordinary wool, it was soaked in poison and dried. Whoever wore it was in for an unpleasant end.

The doorbell rang.

Aha, a child!

Gleefully, she wrenched open the door and slipped the cap over the boy who held out a bunch of flowers, โ€œOnly for you Ms…โ€

– xxxx –

Thank you for reading and dont forget to share your thoughts. Have a great day.

Scroll on for more….

Hello, hello and many more hellos for all the days, weeks, months, and year plus that i have been AWOL. And my apologies too.

The primary reason was that i had nothing to write about. It was a complete block. And it’s not that the dam has suddenly burst (Oh those were the days) and i will be flooding you with daily stories – long and short. Nothing of that sort. In fact i have been struggling for the past few weeks to make a re-appearance with a bang. But hitting a dead end, i dropped in to say hello and give an update.

Especially to readers of Silver Streaks, who are probably the only ones who have been waiting and sending mails. Again my apologies. For the most recent mails, i have already sent the password. For those who havent received the mail and are still interested, please send an email to mysilverstreaks@gmail.com. Also, sorry to disappoint all those who are/were waiting for an extension of Season 2, i am afraid i am not inspired enough to follow that path. But who knows if readers can ignite that spark with their comments, views, perspectives then i am more than game!

Moving on, in other news, i have now ventured into poetry! And published as well. Truth is stranger than fiction. So until the fiction lights are turned on, i plan to share my published poems and perhaps even unpublished poems – who else will read them, right?

On that note, i take my leave for today with my first publication:

Yup, that’s me. And that’s it from me today. Looking forward to your hellos and updates.

A rather belated Happy 2025 to everyone.

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.

Hereโ€™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.

FOTD: Marigold

Here’s my entry to Cee’s Flower of the Day of the challenge

Marigolds from my mom’s garden ๐Ÿ™‚ Marigold are believed to symbolize purity, divinity, and the connection between life and death. Marigold is the most commonly offered flower in several religious ceremonies. But did you know that it’s Lord Ganesha’s favorite flower? Well I didnt. Apparently this is an edible plant with medicinal properties. I remember once as a child I had cut myself and it was pouring blood (in my memory at least) and mom just crushed some marigold leaves and instantly it stopped bleeding.

That’s it from me, for now. Wishing everyone a Happy Dhanteras!

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 yesterdayโ€™s silver in steeplechase.

โ€œQuite a journey from running in sugarcane fields, training with boys, overcoming societal pressures to the top of the victory stand. Congratulations!โ€

Still out of breath, Parul smiled. โ€œThank you.โ€

โ€œWhat a thrilling finish!  Throughout you were trailing and whoosh – in the last 20 m you overtook the lead. How did that happen?โ€

ย โ€œItโ€™s been my dream to join the police. It popped into my head that a DSP post is ย guaranteed for gold medallists.โ€ ย ย 

***

Inspired by a true story of Parul Chaudhary, the first Indian woman to win gold at the 5000m race, Asian Games 2023. ย 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 ๐Ÿ™‚ If you like you may click here to read and add your own story. See you there!

PHOTO PROMPT ยฉ Dale Rogerson

FF: Child’s Play

Words 100

โ€œYour pills darling.โ€ Rekha hugged her new husband, โ€œThanks for fixing the lights and my favorite pink roses.โ€

โ€œBut,โ€ Jim frowned, โ€œI didnโ€™t fix the lights or send roses. Donโ€™t you prefer red?โ€

โ€œWho could it be in this deserted place? Stalker? Ghost?โ€

โ€œDonโ€™tโ€ฆโ€

The lights flickered and a disembodied voice spoke. โ€œShaina my loveโ€ฆ.โ€

โ€œWhโ€ฆwhoโ€ฆโ€ Jim quavered gripping Rekha.

โ€œGet away from my wifeโ€ฆโ€

โ€œSheโ€™s my wife.โ€  

โ€œSheโ€™s mine. Leave her or youโ€™re deadโ€ฆโ€

โ€œNooooo!โ€ Jim screamed and collapsed at Rekhaโ€™s feet.

โ€œWell that was easy.โ€ Rohit emerged from the shadows.

โ€œI told you he was terrified of ghosts.โ€

***

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

CFFC: Fun with Sticks & Stones

Hello, hello ready for some fun with sticks and stones? The virtual kind are the best and thanks to Cee I never thought I would ever be fearlessly playing this game. This week the topic is eitherย Sticks and Stones. As usual Cee gives wings to sticks and stones as well and we are allowed to be creative and have fun with this challenge. How could I resist eh? ๐Ÿ˜‰

Off we go…

Some serious contemplation of sticks. Perhaps they too have a challenge that they need to participate in ๐Ÿ˜‰

When sticks stick to the ground…

Sticks and stones – big ones. ๐Ÿ˜‰

This one evokes envy – one can only dream of the peace and contentment in his life ๐Ÿ˜€

No pebbles here but it’s made of stone – a contemplative stone ๐Ÿ˜€

I used to love reading books in this pose, once upon a time – do you/did you?

Time for a break on a sticky stand ๐Ÿ™‚ Love the bilingual message ๐Ÿ˜€ We all do deserve one break at least!

Here’s the break time complete with stick spoons ๐Ÿ™‚ Yes it was delicious

One of my favorite notices that I found at a hotel in Goa and so apt for the times we live in. It was on a stick type frame, just in case you were wondering.

Thank you for dropping by and do leave me a note – they make my day! Cheers

TankaTuesday#6

It’s time for Colleens #TankaTuesday the weekly challenge (October 22 โ€“ 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 ๐Ÿ˜‰

Thanks for visiting. Cheers

Last on the Card โ€“ October 2023

Posting this for Bushboy’s photo challenge. Post the last photo on your SD card or last photo on your phone for the 30th October or whenever your last photo was taken. No explanations are needed just the photo will do. Despite good intentions I couldnt resist jabbering and attempted a haiku as well. Something to kickstart November. This is also for Cee’s FOTD challenge.

bee sips

from the orange hibiscus

does it sting?   

If you are here, do say a word or two – just a hello will do ๐Ÿ™‚

PS: For those who may have visited my earlier post – CMMC: Photos with a P please note that this is a different hibiscus ๐Ÿ™‚ She is blooming gorgeous blooms. Touch wood!!!!

Happy November!

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
Lifeโ€™s myriad adventures
Much like the fools that rush in
But that is another storyโ€ฆ

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.