Category: Stories, poems and other short pieces

The Jade Camel #8

Chris Hall69 Comments

Previously

Bemused, Joey sat on an expensive couch opposite Aurora in the grandest room he had ever encountered, sipping from a fragile cup of sugary tea, while Aurora issued instructions as if she were reeling off ingredients for a complex recipe; her suave companion nodded as he wrote in a small leather-bound notebook with an elegant silver pen.

Aurora paused, studying Joey for a moment; she set her cup down on an onyx and gold side-table, motioning Joey to do the same, ‘Come, Joey, I have something to show you.’

Joey followed her into the red-carpeted hallway through which they’d entered; Aurora glided up one wide staircase, then another, finally leading him out onto a roof terrace where she stood facing him, her steely gaze flicking to his pocket and back to his face. She advanced a step, holding out her hand: ‘I will be your passport to success if you give me that.’

Patterson appeared in the doorway and Aurora took another step towards Joey; the jade camel started to vibrate in his pocket; he retreated, his heart going into overdrive, racing away like his thoughts.

Joey looked over the edge of the building; it was a long way down.

next episode

Written in response to two challenges:

Di of Pensitivity 101’s Wednesday’s Three Things Challenge: PASSPORT, SUGAR, DRIVER
Denise Farley of GirlieOnTheEdge’s Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt: INGREDIENT

More awesome #SixSentenceStories here!

three things challenge and six sentence stories logos

Photo credit: illustration from a book somewhere on my bookshelves which has mysteriously disappeared🐪

Like Snow on Stony Ground

Chris Hall74 Comments
The image shows a rough track leading to a cottage in the woods. The track is bound on both sides with a wooden fence. There is a layer of snow on the ground.

you melted my heart
that chill winter’s day
when you lured me
into the woods

by the flickering fire
clothed in candlelight
I rapidly fell
for your charms

night after night
smouldering bright
my whole body
liquified

but by Dawn’s harsh light
my love for you
fell like snow on
stony ground

~~~~~~~~

Image credit: Sean Boyd @ Unsplash
The image shows a rough track leading to a cottage in the woods. The track is bound on both sides with a wooden fence. There is a layer of snow on the ground.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #125 photo prompt

The Jade Camel #7

Chris Hall60 Comments

Previously

Joey shook the woman’s hand awkwardly, regarding the smartly-dressed pair standing in front of him with a growing sense of unease; he wanted to turn away, but the man’s steady blue-grey gaze forced his feet to remain rooted to the spot. The woman smiled a thin-lipped smile, ‘we are looking for a new assistant, perhaps you might be interested?’ the woman’s smile broadened, although without a trace of warmth, while the grey-suited man moved in, taking Joey by the elbow, ‘Patterson will help you to the car.’

With a swish of her floor-length fur coat, the woman strode off, Patterson propelling a bemused Joey behind her, while the flunky, engaged to handle their luggage, followed in their wake, clutching a collection of leather and canvas bags.

Twenty minutes later, a midnight-blue Silver Shadow, with Patterson at the wheel, glided to a graceful halt outside a grand, several-storied red-brick building; Patterson got out, adjusting his immaculately-tailored jacket, before pacing around to the pavement side of the car and opening the front and rear passenger doors.

The woman stepped out, gesturing for Joey to join her. ‘I am Aurora,’ she threw out her arms in an expansive gesture, ‘welcome to my empire!’

next episode

Written in response to two challenges:

Di of Pensitivity 101’s Wednesday’s Three Things Challenge: GROWING, FEET, PANS
Denise Farley of GirlieOnTheEdge’s Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt: CANVAS

Read more #SixSentenceStories here!

Photo credit: illustration from a book somewhere on my bookshelves which has mysteriously disappeared🐪

Escape

Chris Hall78 Comments
The image shows a girl carrying an oversized geometry set in her arms, looking directly at the camera.

snatching up the tools of her trade
gathering together
her books, her notes
small remnants of her life

eyes wide with fear
her flatmate clutches
their little dog
to her chest

travelling by train, on foot
they finally reach the border
her skills, at least
are portable

~~~~~~~~

inspired by an article from yesterday’s SA Sunday Times in which three SA final year students escaped from Ukraine to Slovakia (their little dog, Mowgli, made it out too)

Image credit: Houcine Ncib @ Unsplash
The image shows a girl carrying an oversized geometry set in her arms, looking directly at the camera.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #124 photo prompt

The Jade Camel (out-take)

Chris Hall74 Comments

Ceridwen regarded her visitor, there was something familiar about her, although she was sure they’d never met.

Cullen jumped up beside Cynthia and started grooming his silver-grey fur; Cynthia’s face lit up, ‘what a beautiful cat, a perfect pedigree, like my own handsome cat, Asmar,’ she smiled at Ceridwen, ‘I feel I already know you, being another of Ms Hall’s characters – we were talking about you when she came around to invite us to her book launch* this Friday,’ Cynthia caught Ceridwen’s puzzled expression, ‘ah, but you would know her by her pen name, Holly Atkins, I suppose.’

A flicker of recognition passed over Ceridwen’s face and Cynthia pressed on, ‘I came to warn you about the potential danger you’re in from the Jade Camel – that little statue that Joey found the other day – you must have felt its aura.’

‘I did sense something, but when Joey went out earlier whatever it was left with him.’

‘Just be careful, I don’t know what Ms Hall has planned for the little series you’re in, but that camel means trouble,’ Cynthia stood up, suddenly feeling rather faint. It was time to get back to the familiar surroundings of her own book.

~~~~~

*The author is indebted to Spira for the promo video

Written in response to two challenges:

Di of Pensitivity 101’s Wednesday’s Three Things Challenge: POTENTIAL, PEDIGREE, GROOMING
Denise Farley of GirlieOnTheEdge’s Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt: BOOK

Loads more great Sixes here!

Three things Challenge and Six Sentence Stories logos

Photo credit: illustration from a book somewhere on my bookshelves which I STILL cannot locate 😉

Outsiders

Chris Hall68 Comments
The image shows a red neon sign that reads “Vacancy” over a black background.

Trudging through dark, rain-drenched streets, sodden feet sliding over cobbles, hope ebbs away, like rivulets flowing over muddy gutters. The storm rages beyond the border, and wave upon wave of the cowed and the cowering flee; families struggling, dragging straggling old folk and hungry, wailing kids. Doors open, women beckon, many are taken in. But not us.

midnight approaches
and now the streets are empty
will we ever find refuge?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Image credit: Carter Saunders @ Unsplash
The image shows a red neon sign that reads “Vacancy” over a black background.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #123 photo prompt

The Jade Camel #6

Chris Hall71 Comments

Previously

‘The figurine is near, Patterson,’ the tall, turban-clad woman turned to her elegantly-suited companion, ‘I can tell, the vibration is strong,’ a smile spread across her carmine lips and her floor-length fur coat swayed as she swept across the deck of the RMS Redemption. The crew was preparing the vessel for disembarkation; following in her wake, Patterson with a graceful wave of his hand, signalled to a nearby lacky to attend to the mundane task of handling their luggage.

On the quayside, Joey broke open a new pack of cigarettes; he shoved the cellophane and silver paper into his pocket and drew out a battered yellow matchbox, turning from the malodorous Mersey breeze, a cigarette clamped between his lips. The match broke as he struck it, Joey cursed and fumbled another match from the box.

An arm, with a precise half-inch of shirt cuff showing from a fine grey-wool sleeve, proffered a flame from a silver lighter; the end of Joey’s cigarette flared and he inhaled deeply, nodding his thanks. The owner of the arm held the young man’s eyes with a hypnotic blue-grey stare; a regal-looking woman appeared at his side, extending her hand and smiling a red-lipped smile.

Written in response to two challenges:

Di of Pensitivity 101’s Wednesday’s Three Things Challenge: YELL, CELL, TELL
Denise Farley of GirlieOnTheEdge’s Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt: MUNDANE

Read more #SixSentenceStories here

Photo credit: illustration from a book somewhere on my bookshelves which I STILL cannot locate 😉

Flatline

Chris Hall110 Comments
The image shows two skeleton’s hands reaching towards a digital device enveloped in purple-pink haze.

fingers slipping
joints clicking
every moment counts
digits creaking
thoughts fading
time is running out
no more posting
no more scrolling
you can’t WhatsApp me now
battery’s dying
signal’s failing
.
.
.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Image credit: 8machine@ Unsplash
The image shows two skeleton’s hands reaching towards a digital device enveloped in purple-pink haze.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #122 photo prompt

A picture of a tin of spam

A Cry for Help!

Yep, my little spam problem is back *sigh*
If you see I’ve just popped a like in your post, please check your spam. Very likely you’ll find me there fuming. Please fish me out🎣

The Jade Camel #5

Chris Hall81 Comments

Previously

The sludgy stern wave of RMS Redemption smudged over the peach-coloured sands of Crosby Beach as she made her entry into the Port of Liverpool. Two figures stood silhouetted against the backdrop of the dismal docklands, the woman’s steely glare raking across the city, reaching out for something within its smoke-darkened dwellings.

Not 200 yards away, on the other side of the iconic Liver Building, Joey’s bus lurched to a halt, while a deafening blast from the Redemption’s horn, heralding her arrival, rumbled through the fabric of the towering edifice; Joey looked up, almost expecting the two birds that graced the building’s twin clock towers to take flight in alarm, and a quiver ran through his hand, as if the little camel statue had briefly flickered into life.

Cullen’s ears pricked at the distant sound of the ship’s horn and Ceridwen glanced up from the tarot cards in front of her. Troubled by the aura she’d sensed around her young neighbour, she turned to cartomancy in an attempt to divine its source. She turned over the Knight of Wands, mounted on his rambunctious steed, rearing up over three pyramids in the distance: not a card she’d normally associate with Joey.

next episode

Written in response to two challenges:

Di of Pensitivity 101’s Wednesday’s Three Things Challenge: PEACH, REACH, BEACH
Denise Farley of GirlieOnTheEdge’s Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt: RAMBUNCTIOUS

Read more #SixSentenceStories here

Three Things Challenge and Six Sentence Stories logos

Photo credit: illustration from a book somewhere on my bookshelves which I STILL cannot locate 😉

Unrequited

Chris Hall87 Comments
The image shows a couple dining. The man has a glass of wine in his hand and he is looking at his companion. The woman is staring the other way, holding a few long stem flowers.

He eyes her through the filter of his almost untouched wine glass, while she stares absently through sparkling windows at manicured gardens. Stiff as the starched collar of his borrowed shirt, he rehearses the lines he wants to say. He takes another taste of wine, the unfamiliar liquid rolls across his tongue. She sweeps from the table without a glance, leaving long-stemmed roses scattered in her wake.

seizing the moment
clutching a crimson flower
he strides after her
but she’s already dancing
in the arms of another.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Image credit: Olga Solodilova @ Unsplash
The image shows a couple dining. The man has a glass of wine in his hand and he is looking at his companion. The woman is staring the other way, holding a few long stem flowers.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #121 photo prompt