Category: writing prompts

That letter

Chris Hall57 Comments

She’d been walking on the beach for hours.
There was no-one around.
Just her.

It was cold, damp, miserable. Both the sea and the sky was the same colour.
Everything was grey.
Including her heart.

She opened the letter. Yet again. It was crinkled and damp.
She’d read it so often, she knew it by heart.
But there should be two hearts here.

She stopped and looked out to sea.
She heaved a sigh, then ripped that letter in tiny pieces.

And then she felt so much better.

~~~~~

Image credit:  Pan Xiaozhen @Unsplash

This image shows a fully dressed woman on the edge of a rocky beach. In this black and white photo, she is looking down at something in her hand.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #322 photo prompt.

What do you see #322- 5th January 2026

Me and my Dad

Chris Hall59 Comments

Photo Prompt © Lisa Fox

Dad was a happy driver, and I could sit next to him now. ‘Clunk click every trip’ as we said at the same time.

We arrived at a kiosk by the park. Dad parked his almost new car – a navy-colour Hillman Minx. I had got out, and I hurried over there. There was no-one around, but there were lots of flyers. ‘I’m going to take one of each.’

Dad had been reading his newspaper while he waited for me. Then we strolled around the park, and I had my new camera. I clicked, and clicked again. It was such fun.

~~~~~

Thanks to Rochelle for hosting Friday Fictioneers
Genre: Non-Fiction
Word Count: 100

2 January 2026

Choo-Choo!

Chris Hall55 Comments

A railway, a railway!
The two boys smiled happily.

How fun it is
to ride on a train,
and they could take
their bikes with them.

Only a short trip,
but that was fine,
always lucky to be on holiday,
as they grinned again.

~~~~~

Image credit:  Tobias Reich @Unsplash

This image shows a scene from a railway station. The platform on the photographer’s side is empty, and you can see a train on the opposite side, leaving, engulfed in smoke/fog.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #321 photo prompt.

What do you see # 321- 29 December 2025

Just visiting

Chris Hall44 Comments

Photo Prompt © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

That dining room wasn’t used anymore. It’s a beautiful table, mahogany, and still pristine since it’s usually covered up. She walked around it, slowly. Almost reverently. And then she stopped at the top of the table. There were so many memories.

With her eyes shut she thought about what she’d done.
A little girl, wearing a pretty dress for Christmas.
And all those grown-ups.

She flashed a thought. Opening her eyes.
Should she look at that covered up mirror? Would she dare?
But no. Too many ghosts still here.

She’s going to leave forever. There’s just one thing she’ll take…

~~~

Thanks to Rochelle for hosting Friday Fictioneers
Genre: Fiction
Word Count: 100

26 December 2025

Christmas cheer?

Chris Hall36 Comments

Yes, I am a sheep
and only for Christmas time
and a bit longer.

Yes, I’m on a tree,
not a real one, obviously,
there’s tinsel and lights.

And are we happy?
Hard to say, since we don’t speak,
and we never have.

So we continue
to spin slowly for Christmas
and New Year as well.

Then back in that box
and for everyone, until
next time, see you then.

~~~~~~~

Image credit: Renata Kidd @Unsplash

This image shows a close up of a Christmas tree, with two little woolly lambs hanging from it. One is white and the other is grey.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #320 photo prompt.

What do you see # 320- 22nd December’25

Margot and two boys, and…

Chris Hall26 Comments

The two boys had almost finished decorating the rather large Christmas tree. There were many baubles and lots of tiny lights. The two of them were trying to reach the very top of the tree to put the beautiful big star on it. They were becoming rather reckless until they decided to use a chair. And even then there had been a small squabble to decide who would stand up there.

Great Aunt Margot appeared from the kitchen. She inspected the tree. ‘Very nicely done. Have you wrapped all your presents?’
‘We have, including that one which arrived earlier today. It said it was ‘post-haste’, and we were told to partly open the parcel, and then we had to rewrap it with some pretty paper.’
They looked to each other, and then to Great Aunt Margot. The two boys said in unison: ‘It’s for you, but we are foxed about that.’
‘Fancy that,’ said Great Aunt Margot, as she craned over the various presents in the side table, spying that small object. She tilted her eyebrows up.

‘Anyway,’ she said, ‘everything’s ready, a lovely Christmas Eve dinner awaits. A fish feast!’

All three of them cleared everything away, then they sat around a couple of couches.
Great Aunt Margot said: ‘we can open just one present this evening. We’ll choose.’
The two boys opened a big joint present. ‘More Lego!’ they yelled happily.
Great Aunt Margot opened the intriguing present. ‘Ah, a book. It’s called ‘Pingo’. I’ll enjoy this immensely!’

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

Posted for The Unicorn Challenge, a magical challenge hosted by Jenne Gray and C E Ayr, where they provide a photo and we, in turn, provide up to 250 words.

The sea, the sea

Chris Hall50 Comments

Photo Prompt © Peter Abbey

As she walked along the beach.
And on her own.
So many memories. Some good, some bad, and some in-between.
Believe the impossible. A small smile. Did she believe that anymore?
She stopped. She looked out at the ocean.
Always beautiful – fair weather or storm. There’s no telling beyond the seasons.

How many years had flown away? Is anyone left?
The sands would know.
Would they say?

She turned, but looked back again.
Is it over, she wondered?
Another story to break?
So many broken hearts…
Couldn’t it be happy – just once?
But it’s time to move on.
For her.

~~~

Thanks to Rochelle for hosting Friday Fictioneers
Genre: Fiction with a lot of Fact
Word Count: 100

19 December 2025

Beach time

Chris Hall55 Comments

‘Beach time,’ she shouted as she grinned happily. ‘It’s so warm, it’s so pleasant.’ She grabs her sunglasses – so funky, a tangerine colour, so bright. She pops her floppy hat which is decorated with little hearts and butterflies – very cool. She started to sing to herself as she went to get sunscreen – she knows she should be wise since she wouldn’t want to burn. ‘It’s going to be blazing by the beach,’ as she jumped into her snazzy car. ‘Broom, broom!’ and off she goes.

she’ll run down the beach
she’ll potter around the sea
she’ll take some shells back

~~~~~

Image credit: Amera Pawlik @Unsplash

This image shows an embroidery frame, coloured pens, a pair of child’s plastic glasses and tic tock signs. In the embroidery frame- different emojis are embroidered.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #319 photo prompt.

What do you see # 319- 15th December 2025

Ooh, a picnic

Chris Hall65 Comments

Photo Prompts © Dale Rogerson

The two boys were laden with presents as they grinned to each other. Great Aunt Margot was chatting to stallholders while holding her huge basket.
‘It’s a lovely atmosphere when it’s Christmas,’ she said.

‘We can sit down by that useful bench, and we can have a little unprompted picnic. I assume you’re both hungry?’
‘Always,’ they chortled.
‘We’ve crispy baguette, some creamy butter and some pâté.’
They munched for a bit.

Then Great Aunt Margot said, ‘that’s enough for now. All we need is a smallish tree and we can hoist it back home.’
And that’s what they did.

~~~~~

Thanks to Rochelle for hosting Friday Fictioneers
Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 100

12 December 2025

It’s almost Christmas

Chris Hall60 Comments

what a wonderful time it is
so much happiness and joy!

all those little businesses are busy
since they will be closing soon.

we peer in various shops
is there anything else we need?

no, we think we have everything
let’s run home now!

~~~~~

Image credit: Deep Doshi  @Unsplash

This photo shows a snowbound scene from a street in Quebec, Canada. There are Christmas trees outside almost every home and they are sprinkled with snow. People, warmly dressed are going about their business.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #318 photo prompt.

What do you see # 318- 8 December 2025