Friday Fictioneers

Independence Day – Friday Fictioneers

/ JoHawkTheWriter / 45 Comments

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

PHOTO PROMPT © J Hardy Carroll

Lottie watched her father methodically shovel forkfuls of biscuits slathered with sausage gravy into his mouth. She never understood how he breathed, chew and swallow without choking on his food.

“Not, hungry?” he gestured towards Lottie’s plate with his loaded fork.

Her nose wrinkled and she tried to ignore the spittle and half-chewed food, as his fork found its mark.

“I’m not going to college,” Lottie blurted.

His face reddened as he choked, coughed and sputtered, swigging water he regained his normal coloring.

“Best eat your breakfast. It’ll be the last meal I’ll pay for.”

“I know,” she said.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Promise Land – Friday Fictioneers

/ JoHawkTheWriter / 48 Comments

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

PHOTO PROMPT © Ceayr

Joyce gently lowered the heavy shopping bags to the ground. She breathed deeply and considered the looming stairs.

“You have made it to base camp, Joyce,” she said. “You are an experienced Sherpa, and you can summit again. Your team is counting on you.”

Each day the climb grew harder. Years ago, she bought the dream, she worked hard, scrimped and saved.

“Retirement is a bitch,” she said picking up her load.

One foot followed the next in her steady, slow ascent until she reached the top where she paused and swallowed her tears.

“Sweetheart, I’m home with your medicine.”

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Vacation’s Peril – Friday Fictioneers

/ JoHawkTheWriter / 24 Comments

Title: Vacation’s Peril
Source:  Friday Fictioneers sponsored by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple
Word count: 100 words

PHOTO PROMPT © Susan Eames

Macario needed a vacation. His work was grueling. Long hours at the office meant he could provide for Rosa and treat her like a queen. This trip, he promised, was all about her.

He slept on the plane, and she forgave him.

When the airplane hit the ground, his phone started. Texts, calls, and emails bombarded him. She made excuses, gave him space until she heard him call her ‘babe’.

He swore it wasn’t what she thought. When his phone rang again, he responded with his deceitful gestures.

No jury would convict her for what she was about to do.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Second Childhood – Friday Fictioneers

/ JoHawkTheWriter / 50 Comments

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

PHOTO PROMPT © J Hardy Carroll

Nina cringed. The other girls wrinkled their noses. No one played Pin the Tail on the Donkey.

Hands on her hips, Candace shook her head. “This is a lame ass game,” she said.

Candace’s mother stood a few feet away and heard every word. Faster than lightning, she grabbed Candace’s elbow jerking her aside. Candace yelped.

“You will not be disrespectful,” she spat as she dragged her off for a private lecture.

Blindfolded, Nina stuck the paper tail to the wall. The woman in the wheelchair clapped her hands and squealed. Nina smiled and went to kiss her grandmother’s cheek.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

The Contender’s Heat – Friday Fictioneers

/ JoHawkTheWriter / 53 Comments

Title: The Contender’s Heat
Source:  Friday Fictioneers sponsored by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple
Word count: 100 words

PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

Jenny froze. On the starting block, her uncomfortable swimsuit grabbed her in places she would rather not be grabbed. Her goggles threatened to suck her eyes from their sockets and the swim cap distorted every sound in the echoing natatorium.

Terrifying memories surfaced warning her of imminent danger. She held her breath. Brackish water swirled and silt obscured her vision. The current tugged, pulling her deeper. Struggling, she fought, reaching for the light. Her life flashed by, and she screamed, as her world turned dark.

Today the master would win. The starter’s pistol fired and launched Jenny into the unknown.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

 

Man of the House – Friday Fictioneers

/ JoHawkTheWriter / 33 Comments

Title: Man of the House
Source:  Friday Fictioneers sponsored by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple
Word count: 100 words

on-route-66-jean-l-hays

PHOTO PROMPT © Jean L. Hays

Chaska pulled his truck onto the shoulder, remembering the long-ago day. It was as vivid as today.

He did everything he could to evade the government people. He made sure the children were clean, fed, did their homework and went to school. He intervened when they fought as youngsters do and tried to be a good parent.

It wasn’t enough. They discovered his secret when he cashed his mother’s monthly benefit check. They found her dead, six months prior, in a gambling town. An overdose.

Their mother’s death left his home in ruins and his family scattered to the wind.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Schooled – Friday Fictioneers

/ JoHawkTheWriter / 15 Comments

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

PHOTO PROMPT © Roger Bultot

Miriam stood in the Scuola Grande Tedesca listening to the docent.

“De Scuola wasa founded ina fifteen a hundred and a tweeentee eighta,” she recited in a heavy Italian accent. “Prior toa fifteen a hundred and a seexateen, theya not permit Jews toa liva in Venezia.”

The Doge’s decree granted them living area in the “getto”, or foundries. Strict regulations were set. At night, they locked the gates of the “getto” and Christian guards, paid by the Jews, patrolled the canals to prevent them from escaping.

Viewing the elliptical “mechitzah” of the “Scuola”, Miriam wondered at everything her ancestors endured.

*** As a word nerd, I love learning a word’s etymology. Ghetto has an interesting history. To read more check the entry from The Dictionary of Jewish Usage: A Guide to the Use of Jewish Terms : page 50.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Essential People – Friday Fictioneers

/ JoHawkTheWriter / 30 Comments

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

PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson

They canceled schools, closed businesses, and ordered nonessential people home. Six inches of snow fell, and the prognosticators promised more.

Georgie refused. Lives depended on him. He considered his job essential and left for work as usual, at a quarter past three. His daily walk was quiet, but this morning he could hear the earth sigh.

He unlocked his shop doors, flipped on the lights, and began. Incorporating simple ingredients, flour, buttermilk, eggs, yeast, and sugar, he moved with the grace of a ballerina.  When the shop bell jingled, his yeasted donuts were ready, guaranteed to warm his customer’s hearts.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Shadow World – Friday Fictioneers

/ JoHawkTheWriter / 34 Comments

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

PHOTO PROMPT © Roger Bultot

It was the Homecoming bash at Chi Sigma Kappa.  Judeth and her besties arrived at eleven, fashionably late. They drank, they danced and then they disappeared. Everyone, except Judeth. The ancient grandfather clock chimed midnight. Her vision blurred, and her world changed.

Today she would wander the empty campus, searching for the truth. She could hear them, echoes of her final day.  At eleven she and her girls would arrive at Chi Sigma Kappa for the seventh time. Reliving the fateful hour Judeth waited for the reset. Abandoned in the shadow world again, she hunted, prepared to kill her killer.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Fair Warning – Friday Fictioneers

/ JoHawkTheWriter / 49 Comments

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

PHOTO PROMPT © Ronda Del Boccio

I hate late night dog walks. The mutt insists I honor my responsibility. The mongrel’s insistence on sniffing every blade of grass to prolong our walk is directly proportional to my longing to be tucked in bed.

Tonight is no exception. Maybe I’m cranky, but the nightly tug of war is excessive. I glance at the cur who is trying to pull me in the opposite direction from home.  I jerk the leash, and the dog turns, tail between its legs, snarling, it backpedals.

I yank the leash again. A hand covers my mouth and I wish I had listened.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer