Weekend Writing Prompt #118 – Song

Photo by Lucas Pezeta on Pexels.com

Swan Song

The funeral was long over and they were the only ones left.

“I’ve always wanted to let him hear this song. I thought, for once, he could see my cool side. But all he saw were my embarrassing moments.”

His mother hugged him as they stared at the gravestone, the evening sun beating its last rays at them. Then she noticed his trembling and looked at him.

“Dear, I think it’s raining. Let’s go home,” she said gently.

He wiped his face. “Yea, I felt the rain.”

They walked away, leaving the song sheet atop the gravestone in the clear evening sky.

(102 words)

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How do you compact everything you want to say, every emotion you want to portray without saying much? The mother’s innate understanding and compassion, the son’s obstinacy and the tension in the family, only to be released all at the end? And once again, THE WORD LIMIT…

Well, that’s something I’m trying to figure out and I wonder how this turns out.

If you are interested, the prompt is linked below.

The challenge is simple: each week you will be given an exact number of words you can use to write a poem or piece of prose.  You can use any format or style you like; go wherever your inspiration takes you.  The only rules are these:

• your poem / prose must contain this week’s word.  The word does not have to count towards the exact word count total – it can be in the title, or the first letters of the lines of a poem can spell it out – you can be as creative as you want as long as it’s there somewhere.
• the length of your poem / prose must match the number of words stated in this week’s challenge.  No more.  No less.

Prompt: Weekend Writing Prompt #118 – Song

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Scintillating Saturday Share #18

Night Sky|Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt

dance of white hope
in darkest hour

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It’s never truly dark out out there. Somehow, one way or another, you can still see the clouds, floating in the night sky.

If you are interested, the prompt is linked below.

Every Saturday, I will share a photo that touches my heart, makes me happy, or lifts my spirits in some way. The purpose? To send love, light, peace, and kindness out into the ether. Scintillating Saturdays: one definition of the word scintillating is as follows: witty; brilliantly clever.”

Now, it’s your turn. This’ll be our “Scintillating Saturday Share #18.” You can respond to this post, reblog and respond, or create a standalone post of your own, but please ping or tag this post so that I’ll know to read and respond to yours.

Using up to 7 words, tell me what this photo sparks in you.

Care to get creative with me for this scintillating Saturday share?

Prompt: Scintillating Saturday Share #18

Friday Fictioneer – 9 AUGUST 2019

PHOTO PROMPT © Randy Mazie

Boarded Up

“That’s the meeting place for the most close-minded people in our town,” his grandma replied. “They think they’re solving problems but all they do is talk, blame others and re-direct townsfolk’s attention to unimportant matters, like harmful effects of video games and outsiders arriving at our town.”

“So that’s like a town hall? Is that why we decorate it with flowers?” the boy asked.

“No, that’s probably because Mother Nature can’t stand the thought of our leaders being unable to spell ‘trespassing’ correctly,” his grandma replied. “Let’s go, we actually have important things to do, unlike those jokers in there.”

(100 words)

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Keep calm and continue what we are supposed to do.

If you are interested, the prompt is linked below.

Prompt: Friday Fictioneer – 9 AUGUST 2019

Carrot Ranch – August 8: Flash Fiction Challenge

Photo by SplitShire on Pexels.com

Poisoned Apple

He could scarcely believe it. Months of effort – of planning, of sleepless nights – wiped out in matters of seconds.

Oh, how can the apple be poisoned so?

Known for its immunity, most viruses are unable to affect it. Yet, he could deny the truth no longer.

His MacBook Pro is not responding to any of the commands.

Well, every cloud has its silver lining. Or at least he hopes the iCloud has, that the documents have been backed up to the online server.

Then he realises, he has forgotten to switch on the Wi-Fi.

Poisoned Apple indeed.

(99 words)

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Well, this happened to me once. I wasn’t using MacBook Pro but rather, some other brand (NEC or Sony Vaio, I forgot which one until I made the switch to MacBook Pro). Google didn’t have a range of services like it does now and auto-saving a copy online was a foreign concept. At least to me.

The whole thing died and my heart along with it. Everything I had on the computer was the only copy. Thank goodness I know of a friend who knows of a friend who knows of a computer whiz. He did some tech mojo and I managed to salvage most of what I had, albeit not the latest updated copy.

But hey, at least I managed to get some things back!

And I never trust technology again. I have different copies of the same document saved in various places.

Talk about paranoia.

If you are interested, the prompt is linked below.

August 8, 2019, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story about a poisoned apple. Let’s explore dark myth. Deconstruct the original or invent something new. Negotiate the shadows, shed light, but go where the prompt leads you!

Respond by August 13, 2019. Use the comment section below to share, read, and be social. You may leave a link, pingback, or story in the comments. If you want to be published in the weekly collection, please use the form. Rules & Guidelines.

Prompt: Carrot Ranch – August 8: Flash Fiction Challenge

Three Line Tales, Week 184

photo by Dave Herring via Unsplash

Next Stop, Happiness

With each colourful step she takes away from that church, chaining stress and caging expectations unshackled.

She turns back only for a briefest moment to look at the conservative culture managing every aspect of her life, before she turns around for good to continue her journey.

Religion doesn’t bind; it frees.

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If there is one thing I cannot understand, it is why people like to enact their expectations on others under the facade of religious rules. I’m a Buddhist, but there are no cardinal rules on diet, or women, or sexual orientation. Only a series of karmic causes and effects, as well as philosophical scriptures which requires guidance or risk mis-interpretation.

But when I was younger, I have been approached by many Christian missionaries, with the opening lines of “Do you believe in Jesus?” and rapidly spiralled into “Only do you believe in Jesus can you be saved” rhetoric. I was impressionable then and my takeaway from those interactions was “Christianity seems very enthusiastic about Hell and condemnation.”

Until some of my Christian friends raised their eyebrows at me when I candidly asked them about Christianity years later. That’s when I realised, Christianity never asked to convert anyone by fear; those “missionaries” I met were going out to convert people because they wanted money for their church.

Hence the story.

If you are interested, the prompt is linked below.

You’ll find full guidelines on the TLT page – here’s the tl;dr:

• Write three lines inspired by the photo prompt (& give them a title if possible).
• Link back to this post (& check the link shows up under the weekly post).
• Tag your post with 3LineTales (so everyone can find you in the Reader).
• Read and comment on other TLT participants’ lines.
• Have fun.

Prompt: Three Line Tales, Week 184

In Other Words, hello…

Image by Adina Voicu from Pixabay

quiet. waiting. love.

i know i am aloof by nature
but if i wait here, if i say “hello”
will you extend your hand
and accept me as who i am
into your personal sphere?

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If you are interested, the prompt is linked below.

Write a story or poem of 5 Lines or Less
Use the picture and/or the word hello  as inspiration
Link back to this post
If you are on WordPress this will create a pingback.
If you are not on WordPress put a link to your post in the comments.
You can also post your story or poem in the comments.

Prompt: In Other Words, hello…

100 Word Wednesday: Week 132

Image by Bikurgurl

Stan the Saxophonist

Scientists have proven music helps plants grow better; after all, plants are living creatures too.

He has been practising his saxophone in front of these plants for well over 40 years so he should know – the trees are growing very well. His fellow musicians have been laughing at his saxophone playing. But his perseverance is paying off; they will laugh no longer.

The trees growl angrily as he continues his tune. Soon, they will storm into the towns and they will pay for the deadly insults all those years back.

He is Stan the Saxophonist.

And they will pay.

(100 words)

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Inspired by The Legend of Pied Piper, I was very eager to write this story. But once again, this story is late because of time constraint and, of course if you know me by now, word limit.

If only I could play a magical instrument to rouse the plants to a war march.

Vindictive nature much? LOL.

If you are interested, the prompt is linked below.

How to participate? A few guidelines as we begin….

1. Simply check my feed, or search the reader, for the 100WW or tag #100WW, post each Wednesday. I’ll also be posting on my Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook Feeds.
2. Write your submission on your blog, Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook Feed and ping back to the weekly blog post. Feel free to use the image provided or your own. Please do credit the artist whose image we use — Links provided.
   
3. I have not enabled automatic pingbacks due to a plethora of spam messages attempting to link up. Do feel free to also continue posting your links and I will enable your pingbacks as I check my blog. Thank you for understanding!!
4. I’ll provide a Weekly Summary, or Windup, of posts on or by Tuesday; take the opportunity to read and comment on your fellow bloggers posts {keeping in mind to give each other grace and space}. I try to read them all and post your submission in the Weekly Windup.
5. Have fun! I enjoy reading your challenge submissions!

Prompt: 100 Word Wednesday: Week 132

Fandango’s Flash Fiction Challenge #25

jplenio at pixabay.com

Crouching Beauty, Hidden Danger

What is most beautiful is to be avoided.

He enjoys jogging this stretch of road, especially when scattered sun rays filter through the trees. And the scenery is beautiful, littered with shrubs and random bursts of fauna and flora along the edge of the road. He always feels that the weight of the world drops from his shoulders and he jogs without a care in the world.

But it is not the beauty that is dangerous.

As his feet continue the steady pounding against the concrete ground, he feels something brushes against his leg. He continues jogging; he is used to brushing or grazing himself against the knee level shrubs or ankle level flora and pays no attention. But then, he feels the weirdest sensation along the length of his leg.

What is dangerous is hidden under the beauty.

After another few moments, he can no longer ignore the itch running up and down his legs. He stops and looks down to inspect the sensation; the most peculiar sight greets him – a single strand of spider web, slowly but surely weaving itself onto his leg. He frowns before he remembers his aged grandmother’s words.

So guard well against the hidden dangers.

“To you, it is nothing more than a web. But to a spider, it is home. And the wrath of having one’s home destroyed for no apparent reason is not to be underestimated.” But it is too late – where the man is looking down at his leg, there is only gigantic cocoon in his place. Soon, even the cocoon will be gone.

Don’t do harm to others; don’t forget to guard against others.

(276 words)

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I saw a fantastic photo, I write a fantastic story. I could not resist that this story, especially when I tend to brush against something when I go jogging. And being the anal person I am, I always ignore what I brush against until I’m done with my jog. By then, it’s too late – I’ll usually end up with a bruise.

As usual, I could not resist but add in a Mandarin adage to end the story. And as usual, I probably did not do justice to the translation. The Mandarin adage is teaching young children not to purposefully harm any people or animals. But in the second line of the couplet, it also warns children not to be too trustful of everyone either as there are people who would use knowledge of you against you.

If you are interested, the prompt is linked below.

Welcome to “Fandango’s Flash Fiction Challenge.” Each week I will be posting a photo I grab off the internet and challenge bloggers to write a relatively short flash fiction piece inspired by the photo. While there are no definitive style or word limits, I suggest trying to keep your posts to under 300 words.

If this picture inspires you and you wish to participate, please write your post, use the tag #FFFC, and link back to this post.

Prompt: Fandango’s Flash Fiction Challenge #25

Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt!

Char Kway Teow (Singapore food delight) | Image from  Wikimedia Commons

He has had a strong desire for some Singaporean fare for a long time, especially for char kway teow – ooh, that sweet and savoury flat noodles made from rice and stir-fried with fish cakes, eggs, vegetables, bean sprouts, sauteed pork, prawns and cockles.

Working overseas for so many years, he misses that fragrance.

And keeping in contact with his friends on Facebook is not helping either, since they are all foodies.

He raises an eyebrow when he sees an email coming in and his heart skips a beat – it is a common knowledge that the company has not fared well for a long time.

Notice of termination.

Oh well, it is a good time as any to return to Singapore for a plate of char kway teow.

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In spirit of Singapore’s National Day (9 August, by the way, which is a long holiday I’ve been looking forward to forever), I decided to demonstrate my love for my country. And what is better than showcasing one of our favourite food in Singapore?

I always feel that writing about Singapore is difficult because not many people abroad really know who we are and our mangled use of language does not really help. The only thing most people know about Singapore is probably when Donald Trump accused us of stealing jobs from Americans. Or that we are always ready to whip anyone who commits a crime since the Michael Fay incident and the German vandalism ( Andreas Von Knorre and Elton Hinz) incidents.

But let me steer clear from governmental politics and introduce something that unifies many people – food. We share many similarities with Malaysia and Indonesia, although the culinary sense varies and sometimes, even from state to state with Malaysia or Indonesia.

But char kway teow is so mangled, just like our use of language, that I truly believe an authentic dish of char kway teow can never be found anywhere else.

Do not ask me about Singapore noodles. I have absolutely no idea which bright spark came up with that. Or how it made into Robert Galbraith’s (JK Rowling) novels. Twice. *roll eyes*

If you are interested, the prompt is linked below.

Rules of the hop:
Write 6 Sentences. No more. No less.
Use the current week’s prompt word.
Come back here on Thursday, link your post…
Spread the word and put in a good one to your fellow writers 🙂

PROMPT WORD:  FARE

Prompt: Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt!

SIX-WORD STORY CHALLENGE – “DEATH”

RANT 73 – Chatterbox from the Equator… from Flickr

unsatisfied hunger, his eternal hunt continues.

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I think the premise of six word story is self-explanatory, although trying to compact a story into that number of words is the difficult, hence the challenge.

I adore six word story partly because of that challenge and partly because of the story Ernest Hemingway (unsubstantiated link, by the way) weaved, “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” So much said in so little. I tend to be verbose so this would be a good exercise for me…I hope?

If you are interested, the prompt is linked below.

Prompt: SIX-WORD STORY CHALLENGE – “DEATH”