July

The Lay of the Land – Weekend Writing Prompt

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Photo by Dieter de Vroomen on Unsplash

Title:  The Lay of the Land

Source:  Weekend Writing Prompt # 166 – Hinterland

Objective: Write a poem or piece of prose in exactly 87 words

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The story repeats in predictable fashion. A hopeful soul blazes through the pristine wilderness, searching for his breakthrough discovery. With luck, his reward is exotic birds, diverse species of rare orchids, and unique animals. Excited, he shares the wonder.

Tiny frontier towns sprout in the hinterland to provide the curious with accommodations while they conduct their research. A steady stream marks the beginning of an erosion that culminates in a deluge. In time, they conserve the endangered and priceless treasures in an isolated park of utopian hell.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

A Losing Battle – Friday Fictioneers

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watercolor pallett
PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

Title: A Losing Battle

Source:  Friday Fictioneers sponsored by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

Word count: 100 words

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Be wary, my dear creative friend, when you say you wish to explore the seductive call of the arts. If your conviction is not solid, if your resolve is not resolute, if your ethics are not steadfast, clear, and true, then my advice to you is to run. Run, before it is too late.

Once you dip your brush, your pen, your sword, your soul is forever colored, consumed, altered.

Oblivion lurks at the bottom of a paint can, time becomes malleable, and insignificant thoughts recede.

Art has left me desperate and my car keys have been missing for weeks.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Last Beacon – Friday Fictioneers

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Title: Last Beacon
Source:  Friday Fictioneers sponsored by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple
Word count: 100 words

ted-strutz-plane

PHOTO PROMPT © Ted Strutz

Thirty years ago, Blaze fled to Alaska. The country promised shelter from the rat race in its desolate, raw, and expansive wilderness. Old-timers railed against encroaching civilization and forced curious tourist home. Undeterred, Blaze was desperate and without options.

He would never forget the day he met Kaskae.  Saying nothing, their souls remembered the ancient bond, and he knew it set his fate.

Kaskae trained him to be a bush pilot and humanity’s lifeline. At first, it had been easy, but a tiny drip became a deluge. The unfortunate reeked of madness, and despair for which Blaze had no cure.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Warned – 100 Word Wednesday

/ JoHawkTheWriter / 11 Comments

Title: Warned
Source:  100 Word Wednesday: Week 128
Word count: 100 words

Image by Bikurgurl

As they approached the gaping black hole at the mountain’s base, Chrissy grew nervous.

“Mom, I don’t want to go in,” she squeezed her mother’s waist hard.

Mom flinched, the handbrake squealed, and she stopped the bike next to the picnic tables.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Can we go home?” she pleaded as Mom lifted her from the bike’s kangaroo seat and set her on the graveled path.

“Why?”

“The tree people are watching,” she whispered, “and they’re telling us to leave.”

“They say you’ll die.”

The sky darkened and a cold wind raised goosebumps.

“Tell them we’re leaving. Now.”

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

 

Prophecy – 3 Line Tales

/ JoHawkTheWriter / 4 Comments

From Sonya’s 3LineTales at Only100Words.
You can find the original prompt here. Thank you, Sonya

photo by Rikki Austin via Unsplash

Queen Rolana Glenfir stopped, kneeling in the field, her body remained, but her consciousness was worlds away.

While she traveled, we shielded her from storms and pressed damp cloths to her lips, to keep her body alive until she returned.

On the appointed day, she arose, telling us of wonders she said I was the one who would lead them there.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Consumption Function – Flash Fiction Challenge

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Title: Consumption Function
Source:  Flash Fiction Challenge
Prompt: Write a story that includes the phrase “for one day”.
Word count:  99 words

9098195663 gaped at his screen.

“See this?” he asked.

But 2207344907 contemplated a different image.

“This is interesting,” 2207344907 murmured, ignoring 9098195663.

Her finger touched the ‘Buy Now’ button. Was it a good selection? Her days were exhausting, constant pressure, endless images, never-ending decisions.

“No, 2207344907. Look. Now,” 9098195663’s voice rose as he spoke.

“It says ‘for one day only’. I haven’t seen that.”

2207344907 peeked at his screen and navigated hers to the same image. It was true. She could not believe their luck. She and 9098195663 slammed the ‘Buy Now’ button until they bought the last one.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Stolen Freedom – Weekend Writing Prompt

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Title: Stolen Freedom
Source:  Weekend Writing Prompt #116 – Amateur
Objective: Write a poem or piece of prose in exactly 51 words.

Photo by Anuja Mary on Unsplash

In the reading circle, I waited impatiently. At last, I speak, finishing far too soon. Condemned to waiting again, I skip ahead, being careful, so my teacher doesn’t see.

I am no amateur.

Late at night, I sneak my flashlight and my favorite book under the blanket and read with abandon.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

The Magic Carpet – Friday Fictioneers

/ JoHawkTheWriter / 32 Comments

Title: The Magic Carpet
Source:  Friday Fictioneers sponsored by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple
Word count: 100 words

Train station

PHOTO PROMPT © Sandra Crook

Reginald heard it before it appeared and checked his watch. The steam engine screeched, the wheels spewed sparks as the engineer braked.  Rattling past the platform, cars thundered, slamming into one another. The boiler heaved, exhaling a plume of white-hot breath, and everything stopped.

Reginald imaged it was the reincarnated dragon his ancestor once defeated. He smiled wryly and boarded.

The car rolled, lurched forward, and tumbled him into his usual seat. Gazing out the window, he reached towards the ruins of his family’s past glory. He swore he would become the newest titan, a man worthy of his legacy.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Cultural Counterfeit – Weekend Writing Prompt

/ JoHawkTheWriter / 8 Comments

Title: Cultural Counterfeit
Source:  Weekend Writing Prompt #115 – Judge
Objective: Write a poem or piece of prose in exactly 95 words.

“I educated the uneducated. Facts are indisputable, provable. Nothing else matters,” I said.

There was an imperceptible head shake.

“I am surprised, how have you missed the truth?”

“What more could there be?” I asked.

“Love?”

“Overrated.”

“Friendship?”

“Not worth the effort.”

“Beauty?”

“Subjective.”

“Art?”

“Do you have a point?”

Silence followed.

“Go ahead. Judge me. I have lived my life without regard to others.”

“That’s the problem,” the cherub said.

I opened my mouth to speak as the angel raised a finger to his lips.

Silenced, I finally saw a light in the darkness.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Nowhere Left to Hide – Friday Fictioneers

/ JoHawkTheWriter / 34 Comments

Title: Nowhere Left to Hide
Source: Friday Fictioneers sponsored by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple
Word count: 100 words

PHOTO PROMPT © Roger Bultot

Novak had seen the end. He told everyone who would listen. For his trouble, they labeled him a lunatic, certifiable. He painted pictures, but he couldn’t force them to see. They were lost.

He had been like them, paralyzed with fear, he clung to the familiar, repeating his history in a self-fulfilling destiny. Each day manifested as a poor interpretation of a yesterday which spiraled him into darkness.

Until he gasped for breath. The last flickering spark screamed from the deathbed. He was alive, this wasn’t his swan song.  Daring greatly, he released his past to create a new future.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer