October

Wind Gypsy — Friday Fictioneers

/ JoHawkTheWriter / 56 Comments

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

Emirates-Spinnaker-Tower

PHOTO PROMPT © Jilly Funell

The tower caught Coraline’s eye, and the breeze transported her. She was aboard the Wind Gypsy once again flying for the finish line.

Thirty-three boats started, but as they reached the windward mark three had distinguished themselves as contenders. The spinnaker launched with a satisfying snap. They dropped and secured the genoa as the bow blasting through a swell. Wind Gypsy trailed Lady Zoom and Wave Bye Bye in a fight that was theirs to win. Coraline loved this crew. Joyous laughter skipped across the waves as they sat folded over the port rail. Winning was only half the fun.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Full Time — FFfAW Challenge

/ JoHawkTheWriter / 25 Comments

Title: Full Time
Source: Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers
Word count: 160 words

Marina

This week’s photo prompt is provided by Michelle De Angelis. Thank you, Michelle!

It was a long, hot summer and Alysia had nearly finished. The thirty-three-foot Chris Craft needed a total overhaul. She purchased her in early spring and by St. Patrick’s Day had the boat gutted. The wooden hull was sound and didn’t need a lot of patching. She sanded, caulked, painted and varnished. She applied six coats of varnish herself. The engine, however, needed a complete overhaul.

Then she ran out of money. Alysia took a second job, sold her apartment and moved onto the boat. She slept on the deck in a sleeping bag under the stars. The boat owners in the surrounding slips noticed and monitored her progress. She often found gifts on the boat when she returned from work.  When she questioned them, they laughed and denied her accusations.

The summer boaters winterized their boats as Alysia put the final touches on her full-time home. They threw a housewarming cookout and promised to be back in the spring.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

The Golden Road to Unlimited Devotion — FFfPP

/ JoHawkTheWriter / 12 Comments

Title: The Golden Road to Unlimited Devotion
Source:  FLASH FICTION FOR THE PURPOSEFUL PRACTITIONER- 2018 WEEK #41
Word count: 195 words

tennis-shes-abandoned

August MorgueFIle 2018 1415390688o66bl

Calder sprinted through the house, picked up his bag, grabbed his keys and headed for the door. Running late was his normal morning routine.  He stepped onto the deck, locked the door and slung his bag over his shoulder before he saw them.

Puzzled, he looked around, searching for clues. They weren’t his, and he didn’t remember them when he came home last night. No, the deck had been empty. He remembered dropping his keys trying to get in and he certainly would have seen them. Why would someone leave a pair of shoes on his deck?

Calder looked around, searching for their owner. At the corner of the house, a green shirt waved from the lilac bush. Intrigued Calder walked over and pulled it loose. The shirt’s back bore a Grateful Dead logo proclaiming “The Golden Road to Unlimited Devotion.”

Footprints in the dirt beneath the bush lead towards the pond. Calder followed and found a pair of jeans in the grass next to the path. A ribbon of gold glistened and glowed across the pond’s surface.

Calder absentmindedly dropped his bag, his keys slipped from his fingers and he waded into the water.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

It — 100 Word Wednesday

/ JoHawkTheWriter / 15 Comments

Title: It
Source:  100 Word Wednesday: Week 92
Word count: 100 words

Photo by Alex Iby

Franny screamed.

In the eerie gloom Charles, Franny and Alex crowded the edge of the raft searching for Mickey beneath the waves.

“Stay back,” Charles jerked away from the edge pulling the girls with him.

“Somethings out there and its gonna kill us.”

Alex scowled at Charles. “You’re such a sissy, Charles, it’s only water,” she said.

Franny screamed again, pointing. Mickey’s hands had breached the waves. Franny reached for him, but Mickey was yanked downward and disappeared.

“I told you, its out there,” Charles said clinging to Franny.

“It’s not out there.” Alex gazed across the waves and smiled.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Stanley Hall — Friday Fictioneers

/ JoHawkTheWriter / 58 Comments

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

PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

Strange things happened at Stanley Hall. Jessie had always heard stories of eerie noises, glowing lights, and disappearing people.

Today was her first time at the hall. She didn’t know why. The wind moaned in the trees and she thought she heard words. She walked closer, listening. Goosebumps raced across her skin. Without thinking, she leaned against the heavy oak door and entered.

Cobwebs and dust motes waved a silent greeting, inviting Jessie to explored. The building revealed more cobwebs and dust. Disappointed, Jessie returned to Stanley Hall’s one door, heaved it open and walked into a whole new world.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

The Protector — FFfAW Challenge

/ JoHawkTheWriter / 4 Comments

Title:  The Protector
Source: Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers
Word count: 175 words

This week’s photo prompt is provided by wildverbs. Thank you Wildverbs!

Cornered, Lodovica ran into Piazza San Marco. The open Piazza and the full moon gave her nowhere to hide. Figures wearing plague masks surrounded her on three sides. She ran toward the Canale Grande. Her pursuers slowed, and she heard laughter. They had captured her.

Nearing the water, she noticed the center of the canal. Water churned and rose into the air forming a colossal wave topped by a giant winged lion. It rushed toward the Piazza, depositing the lion between Lodovica and the masked men.  The lion lifted his massive front paw and gestured at them.

“Begone, you will remember nothing of tonight,” he said.

The men dissolved into the shadows. The lion folded his wings then turned to look at Lodovica.

“Who… who are you?” she asked. She stepped back as the lion raised his paw pointing to the granite column and the statue of the winged lion.

“The protector of Venice,” Lodovica said.

“This was not your day to die. The Saints call you for important work. Are you ready?”

Lodovica nodded.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

The Catalogue Dress

/ JoHawkTheWriter / 4 Comments

Source: Julie Duffy at Story-A-Day Challenged us to “Write an imaginary entry for a pretentious, high-end catalogue.” I love the J. Peterman catalogue and was a customer long before Elaine from Seinfeld had a job writing for them. I enjoy the stories and the clothes, so this was a no-brainer for me.

Photo by Pete Bellis on Unsplash

The yacht anchored in crystal blue water near St. Tropez and I ferried to Plage de Pampelonne.

Jacquelyn met the launch wading in, thigh deep, to greet me. The day was planned she said.

The rented cabana was in the center of it all, only steps away from the swanky restaurants which lined the beach. It was the best place to see and be seen she said.

Jacquelyn periodically waved to restaurant patrons, calling and promising to meet soon. We were going to dinner she said.

I would need to go to the yacht and change. Jacquelyn pulled the wrap dress from her dainty beach bag, slipped it on and tied it at the waist. Darling you must learn to be more spontaneous she said.

I agreed.

Plage de Pampelonne Wrap Dress (No. 1496). Low maintenance dress made from a silky jersey knit with a little spandex is ideal for travel. The flattering silhouette is packed with glamour, V-shaped crossover neckline, shaping princess lines and a flowing full sweep. Ties at waist. Lower calf length.

This dress belongs in your beach bag.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Exit Light — 3 Line Tales

/ JoHawkTheWriter / 8 Comments

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

photo by Ernest Brillo via Unsplash

They jumped, hands held high, gyrating with uncensored abandon as the music thumped, a pounding heartbeat replacing their own.

Desperate to escape, willing sacrifices they rushed headlong into promised bliss.

A promise that was only another way to die.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Plot Line — 100 Word Wednesday

/ JoHawkTheWriter / 11 Comments

Title: Plot Line
Source:  100 Word Wednesday: Week 91
Word count: 100 words

Image by Toa Heftiba

I was a regular at the coffee shop and selected my usual seat facing the window, the one that provided an unobstructed view of the street. This seat let me see who approached, who watched and who entered the shop. The window provided a bonus, reflecting the scene behind me. Here I had a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree view.

I slung my bag across the back of the chair. I didn’t need to order; the barista automatically delivered my steaming cappuccino. I dug my journal from the bag to review the details. Careful planning and consideration yielded perfection, and tomorrow he would die.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer