Category: writing prompts

The sea, the sea

Chris Hall6 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 Hall47 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 Hall63 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 Hall57 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

Moreish…

Chris Hall64 Comments

Photo Prompt © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

‘We went into a little supermarket, didn’t we?’
‘We did. Happy memories…’
‘It was in a foreign place and quaint. You remember?’
‘Greece?’
‘Not that time.’
‘No, you’re right, it was Turkey.’

‘We sat down, since there was a few tables.’
‘And we drank some very thick and sweet coffee.’

‘Then we had a little look around the shelves…’
‘… and we bought some postcards and we sat down again and wrote them.’
‘They even had some stamps.’

‘Then after that we bought a tiny bottle of raki.’
‘And what else?’
‘You must remember that?’
‘Oh, of course – Turkish Delight!’

~~~~

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

5 December 2025

Seagull World

Chris Hall59 Comments

Seagull World

Another beautiful day,
said one.
Where shall we go today,
said the other.

They potted around the lovely beach.

So warm isn’t it,
said one.
Well, it’s summer on the Cape, isn’t it,
grinned the other.

They potted a bit further, as they looked out.

I know, let’s go right to the end.
You mean the Table Mountain?
No, even further… the southern tip of the Cape Peninsula.
Let’s enjoy the Cape of Good Hope just now.

And off they went!

~~~~~

Image credit:  Thibault Moluenko @Unsplash

The image shows two birds standing in the water of the ocean, at a beach. The sky overhead is cloudy and lit golden by the rays of the sun, which are reflected in the water too. There are waves coming in towards the beach.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #317 photo prompt.

What do you see # 317- 1st December 2025

Where are my glasses?

Chris Hall48 Comments

Photo Prompt © Roger Bultot

So where are they?

She’d looked in the bedroom and bathroom. She’d looked in the kitchen and dining room, but no. She was almost positive she had left them in the living room since she’d been reading. She sat down by her coffee table.

She had a thought.

Maybe those glasses had fallen under the couch. She knelt down and poked around, just as her cat appeared. They were at the same level. The cat playfully tapped one paw at her cheek. Suddenly, those glasses dropped from her head.

Aha, clever cat! Those glasses had been there all the time.

~~~~

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

28 November 2025

Was that me?

Chris Hall60 Comments

Was that me in a different life? Is it possible to be reborn again without knowing?
Something drastic happened. Everything disappeared completely.
Not just dark. Just nothing. Nothing at all.
Gone.

And yet…
Something rebooted, eventually.
Eyes opened. But looking upside down, and back to front. Just like a brand new baby.
And then it all came back again. So, I’m thinking that’s what happened.

a new chance
many lovely days
lucky me!

~~~~~

Image credit:  Mohsen Karimi @Unsplash

The image shows a blurred girl/woman through a rain-streaked window. The background is not clearly seen.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #316 photo prompt.

What do you see # 316- 24 November, 2025

So windy here!

Chris Hall35 Comments

Photo Prompt © Sandra Crook

At last, something worked, she grinned, I’m so happy!

She had looked out very early, just as the sun poked up. She could see it was fine, as she showered and dressed quickly. She brewed her coffee, as she continued to smile; she wondered what this particular one had managed to cling on to life, since so many hadn’t. Dreadful really, as she mused while supping her coffee.

It was very windy, as usual, as she stepped out into her kind of garden. There it is, as she looked up. My first pretty rockery with some real living little flowers!

~~~~~

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

21 November 2025

Coffee, please!

Chris Hall51 Comments

The first cup of the day,
delightful,
warming and waking her up.
What will she do today?

Such a beautiful morning,
fresh, gorgeous,
as she opens her laptop.
It has to be a poem!

What will she think about,
she’s musing,
as she continues to drink.
Perhaps another coffee?

Aha, that’s it!
This is my poem
about coffee.
(more please)

~~~~~

Image credit: Jon Tyson @Unsplash

The image shows a cup sitting on a wooden table. On the cup you can read the inscription – “ My cup runneth over”.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #315 photo prompt.

What do you see # 315- 17 November 2025