Patricia M Osborne

Today is the last day for a couple of weeks that I shall post a story for the ‘less than 100 words challenge’ as I am off to Swanwick Writers’ Summer School first thing tomorrow and then on to Nottingham for a few days to stay with some writer friends.

It therefore seems quite appropriate that this story should be from a Swanwick writer, Gerald Hornsby. Gerald’s response to the challenge comes in the form of Watching Kettles which you can read below. 

I sit and wait, trying to distract myself. I currently hate my beloved clocks. Loudly ticking away the seconds, minutes, hours.

She’s been late before, of course. Normally, I get a breathless phone call, apologies and excuses tumbling out of the phone like an avalanche. But not tonight.

I flick the switch on the kettle, resisting the urge to glance up at the wall. Tick away, you bastard. I’m going to watch this kettle, waiting for it to boil, and time will stop.

The knocking on the door disturbs my solitude. Through the window, I see the police car.

99 words

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Ooh, another chilling one, wouldn’t you agree? You can find out more about Gerald and his writing by visiting here

 

 

Today’s challenger is writer, Rosemary Noble. Rosemary’s response to the challenge comes in the form of Colours of Grief which you can read below.

Who knew grief came in colours? Red cherries I bought to tempt your failing appetite, a painted smile concealing the devastation in my heart. The pink of a rosebud, your last present, softly kissed, remembering. I ache with lassitude for the inevitable phone call, a yellow helplessness I can’t dispel, along with the white-hot resentment that you’re leaving too soon.

Blackness of the race through flooded streets to stroke your cooling, waxy cheek in the muted orange glow of the curtained room. Cards like snowflakes in summer falling through my letterbox contrast with the multi-coloured spray atop your coffin.

99 words

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Rosemary wrote Colours of Grief after first losing her mum and later her best friend, both in a close space of time. I think we can all associate with this. I know I certainly have similar memories about my late mum and sister. People say time heals but in fact time just helps you get better at putting one foot in front of the other.

Thank you, Rosemary, for sharing this special story.

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If you’d like to find out more about Rosemary and her writing you can visit her at her website. https://rosemarynoble.wordpress.com/

Today’s challenger is writer, Wesley Louis. Wesley has taken up the challenge to write a story titled ‘6/28’ in less than one hundred words which you can read below. 

A pentagram appeared inside my closet. He came into my subconscious.

‘I would like to make you an offer. Call it an investment. Earthly happiness and wealth in exchange for the Keys to your Secret Self.

‘Honestly, I was expecting you but not this early. Not today or tomorrow. Don’t bother rescheduling.’

‘Why?’

‘It’s not logical or a good investment. To gain the whole world but at the end of my journey, lose my soul? No thanks. Not worth it. I sloped back to bed.

‘Curse not in effect.’ Ghostmoon faded.

91 words

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Ooh. That was a bit of a spooky one, don’t you think? 

I was invited over to the Schools History. org website by Dan Moorhouse to answer questions about how I approached writing historical fiction. Why not pop over to his website and check out my interview with him?

To read interview – Click here

 

Today’s challenger to write a story in less than one hundred words comes from writer Helen Ellwood. Helen’s story is Rescue and you can read it below.

I don’t know why we’ve been shut in this cardboard box. My kittens are crying. Someone is carrying us somewhere, without care. I smell water, hear birdsong. The canal? The box is on the ground now. A pause. Heavy footsteps walk away.

It’s dark and I can’t escape. My babies crawl under me. I comfort them, but I’m afraid.

Sunlight is bright as the box is opened. A human girl picks me up and holds me to her heart. Her friend picks up my kittens. The girls are crying, but my heart sings with joy.

We are safe.

98 words

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To find out more about Helen’s writing you can visit her blog here.

 

Andrew Roberts is our latest writer to take up the challenge to write a story in less than one hundred words. You can read Andrew’s story, A Storm is Coming, below.

A storm is coming. I feel it as I drive to work. I don’t feel prepared for it. I don’t think I want to be at work with it looming. That’s all I ever am; at work. Although it doesn’t mean I’m working.

I’ve not got much holiday. Four weeks a year. It just isn’t enough. I’m stuck here. I’m probably about to be fired. I don’t care. I’ve had enough. The storm will make it worse.

Perhaps I should leave. It won’t prepare me for the storm, but I can enjoy myself before it hits.

I turn around.

99 words

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I think we can all feel that storm ahead. What do you think?

You can find out more about Andrew’s writing by visiting his blog here.

Today’s challenger is Stuart Pereira and his response to the challenge to ‘write a story in less than one hundred words’ comes in the form of Perfect Day. I like the sound of that. You can read Perfect Day below.

Dave watches his float for signs of a nibble, an electric blue Damselfly hovers close to the fat frog basking on a lily pad. Long, sticky, frog-tongue flashes. The blue light is extinguished.

The grass snake slithers silently into the shallows, threading through the tall, yellow-flowered Flag Irises. She strikes from behind. It’s over in a heartbeat.

Frog clamped in her jaws, she swims for the shore. A stroke short of the bank the pike pounces, swallows snake and victim in a single gulp.

Three hours later, Dave reels in the pike.

Perfect end to a perfect day.

98 words

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I thought this story had some beautiful language. The rhythm in Stuart’s sentences and wonderful images conjure up relaxation. What do you think?

Steve Barnett is the next writer to take up the challenge to write a story in less than one hundred words. His response comes in the form of Tick, Clonk which may be read below.

The writer’s mind ticked. His tongue clicked. Stretching his fingers, he made motions to type. They lacked direction. He sat comfortably in his bed waiting for inspiration to spring. The door handle clonked.

‘The potatoes are in the oven. I boiled them. They’ll be perfect,’ his girlfriend said. She lay next to him munching Wotsits.

I’ve no inspiration,’ The writer said, as he wrote mundane happenings hoping for inspiration to kiss.

‘How do you spell Wotsits?’ he asked.

She told him, then demanded to get a mention at the end of his story.

Thunder roared. Kelly.

96 words

Author Maggie Cobbett is the latest challenger to have a go at writing a story in less than one hundred words. Maggie’s story A Sisterly Put-Down may be read below.

VAUDEVILLE STARS RETURN TO HICKSVILLE AFTER FIVE YEARS! COME AND SEE VIOLET AND DAISY, THE AMAZING PIANO-PLAYING SIAMESE TWINS!

The girls were getting ready to perform when Violet said, ‘I think I’ll give that handsome deputy a call.’

‘The one you invited back to our room before?’ asked her sister. ‘When I had to pretend to read a book all night?’

‘That’s him.’

‘Get over yourself! As if he’d remember you after all this time!’

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75 words

Ha ha – hardly forgettable.

To find out more about Maggie and her writing you can visit her website here.

 

Today’s challenger is Anne Craig. Her response to the ‘Write a story in less than 100 words’ comes in the form of The Longing. You can read Anne’s story below.

Each evening I took out my needle and dreamt of a daughter. I stitched pure white lawn, creamy calico and fine merino wool into garments. Gingham brought a tear to my eye as I imagined my little sprite going to school.

John took it hard but we never talked about it after the first few years.

I gathered my fabric store and began a quilt. The final border, purple, from my funeral outfit. I won’t wear it again. I have my memories and only have to spread out my quilt to see the whole of my life before me.

99 words

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Well I’m sure you’ll all agree that was a bit of a weepy.