The box

(100-word flash fiction)

She hovered over the harbour. Like a benign wind fairy. Charlie, her creator, had painted the sky and clouds on her.

A large metal contraption that had been gliding over the water had stopped next to the unmoving land.

She zoomed in closer. The contraption spat out a pathway and then boxes after boxes started swaying at the tip of a large metal arm.

Then, right before her sensor, a box broke loose from the arm and fell.

It landed on the land and split open. Her camera went berserk as she recorded bodies, piled on top of each other.

~~~

Continuing my fascination of looking at the world through the eyes of non-humans. This time it’s a drone (in case you were wondering 🙂 ) But couldn’t get much emotion in because I used up all the words in descriptions 😦

Nevertheless, I enjoy being part of the weekly meetup of fellow Friday Flash Fictioneers (ha! too many Fs 😀 ). All of us being shepherded by the fabulous Rochelle, who, unfortunately, is not addicted to fuchsia 😦

Note to Blogger bloggers – if I don’t comment on your posts, it’s because it’s too time-consuming to go through all the verification steps. But I do enjoy your posts 🙂

This week’s photo prompt –

PHOTO PROMPT © Fatima Fakier Deria

Nightmare

(100-word flash fiction)

She awakes feeling as though lying on a bed of nails. Needles of pain highway through her body.

A terrible thirst assails her. Strangely, the bedside bottle of water is missing.

She barefoots towards the kitchen. The floor feels shockingly grimy to the clean-freak spinster she is.

The remnants of a meal still sit on the dining table, but alarmingly the setting is for two. She never received visitors.

Feeling faint with dread, she trudges back to bed.

The usually undisturbed other side of the bed looks tousled and slept in.

Sleeping on her side of the bed is. Herself.

~~~

Just the other day I was thinking that it’s about time I wrote a horror story. Not a genre I know much about as I don’t read or watch horror. So, here’s my humble first attempt 🙂

To read the boss lady and all of her minions’ stories 🙂 please head over to Rochelle’s page and follow the Froggy link.

Photo prompt –

PHOTO PROMPT © J Hardy Carroll

The Dance

THE DANCE

I wake up to dancing dappled sunlight.

The sky has forgotten
last night’s thunderstorm.
But not the mother bird
whose nest has fallen.

Yet seeds will sprout at that spot
among the knitted twigs
and broken egg shells.

Life moves from form to form.

I only need to sit back and
watch the play of illusions.

Like the playful sunbeams
dancing gaily on my face.

The hands

(100-word flash fiction)

“I am dizzy with going round and round,” the minute hand says to the hour hand, sitting comfortably close on 12.

The second hand (just crossing 11) overhears while lurching towards them.

“DIZ-ZY? FUN-NY-YOU-SAY-THAT,” it staccatos, lurching away.

“I wish this darn thing would stop.” Unfazed, Minute continues its rant.

“Time seems very important to humans.” Hour is wise and laidback, as always.

“They look at us with such anxiety, even dread, as though we are their enemy.”

“I only look at the baby. It sleeps when it wants, cries when it is hungry and has no use of us.”

~~~

Wanted to write something light this week after all the gloomy and sad stuff I’ve been writing. Also, I am finding it fascinating getting into the minds of non-human things. Even though we can’t really know what they are experiencing, it’s still good to anthropomorphise 🙂 as a fantasy or empathy exercise 🙂

The flash fiction writing itch for the Friday Fictioneers starts on Thursday (or probably Wednesday, but it’s the middle of the night here when Rochelle posts her prompt :)) To participate head over to Rochelle’s page, read the rules, put your writing cap on and have fun with 100 words.

This week’s photo prompt –

PHOTO PROMPT © Jennifer Pendergast

Father, future

(100-word flash fiction)

Mr.Krauss is bewildered. He had woken up in the morning sitting on the staircase handrail.

A gigantic version of his wife appears in the doorway.

The look and scream of horror is understandable. After all he had perfected the art of ‘keeping his woman in place’.

His son appears next, uncharacteristically bold, with a raised cricket bat.

Mr.Krauss roars his usual disapproval. Soft chirps issue forth.

Amazingly, he discovers his eyes can swivel independently as his daughter comes up from behind, whispering softly while trapping him in a shoebox.

“Don’t worry Daddy, the spell will last only a hundred years.”

~~~~~

Thank you Rochelle for choosing such a beautiful photo this week. Nature’s creations are so marvelous. I couldn’t help stare that the magnificent creature. Do you know what it is called?

This week Friday Fictioneers photo prompt is a thing of beauty.

PHOTO PROMPT © Shaktiki Sharma

 

Love said to me

by RUMI

Last night
I lost my grip on reality
and welcomed insanity.

Love
saw me and said,
I showed up.
Wipe you tears
and be silent.

I said, O Love
I am frightened,
but it’s not you.

Love said to me,
there is nothing that is not me.
be silent.

I will whisper secrets in your ear
just nod yes
and be silent.

~ Rumi

Sunshine

(100-word flash fiction)

He had come home one day and found them all gone, including his house. There was just a bomb crater in their place.

But his heart refuses to believe they are dead. By day, he combs the refugee shelters, eyes bright with not blinking.

At night, he soothes himself with memories. How little Fatima she would spring into his arms, smile brighter than sunrise, a tinkling santur for laughter.

He hears hopeful stories of boats and stories of death.

Finally, he spots her. The sunshine of his life. On a newspaper page.

Only, in her eyes, the sun had set.

~~~~~~

Tried hard to write a lovely, little sweet story, but my muse is a stubborn one 🙂

Thank you Rochelle, for hosting this weekly party of eclectic flash fictioneers 🙂 And, your photo is lovely!

PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields