Category: Unicorn Challenge

What’s inside?

Chris Hall54 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

Everyone was out. The father, the mother and the two children were busy going to the shops.

Meanwhile, there was something moving slowly inside. It slithered down and writhed around the house. People craned outside, looking at the house.

A little later the father, mother and the two children came home, wondering who was looking in their window. ‘Please go away,’ said the father.

But what had happened?

They heard a noise as they opened the door, but none of them were worried.

‘Oh, there he is. Look!’
‘He managed to get out.’
The two children carefully picked him up.

‘Come, Henry, back in the tank.’
It was only the huge and lovely snake. He’s a beautiful boa.

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The Unicorn Challenge-20/09/24
Three Things Challenge #M825

The Beautiful Game?

Chris Hall45 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

She’s put out the snacks and brought his beer, chilled, in his special glass (one of them). More beers are in the fridge; she has a pie ready to warm for half-time – steak and kidney – his preferred.

Pre-match build up: pundits pontificate; re-runs, highlights, triumphs and near misses. There is success and then there is shame. Which will it be today? National Pride is at stake, for this is the World Cup.

As she sits, small and submissive on the far end of the couch, she plays a different commentary in her head. Missed penalties, own goals, bad decisions by the ref. The repercussions: cuts and bruises (hers); failure on the field reflected in domestic disappointment.

Predictions are favourable. The odds of a positive outcome are weighed in favour. She weighs up her own odds: win or draw 20 per cent, lose 50 per cent (the chances of a beating).

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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.

At the lobby

Chris Hall59 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

previous

The red-head woman had her great big bag again, as she trudged around as usual; she had been walking around the streets of Paris, while her head was swirling still; where had she been? – she paused: she just saw a rather nice café, and the menu outside looked tempting; she sat down while deciding what to pick, and then she ordered.

On the other side of the street, she craned her head, looking at the rather magnificent and old hotel, and next door was a book shop, and she would have to go in.

After eating and paying, the red-head woman felt fortified, as she entered the book shop where there were so many books, from the floor to the ceiling; it was rather dark and dusty, but it smelled interesting.

The man appeared: ‘I will help you, I know exactly what you need – please sit down – I will track them down, very soon,’ and a moment later, the man had taken three books from the shelves, ‘I think that you want these, they are very old, and useful.’

‘I will also help you over to the Hotel Moderne, (now it’s known as Hotel St Germain, by the way), you’ll find out something else later there – trust me; but meanwhile go past the lobby and go into the lounge.’

And so the red-head woman had a great time, playing table-football and listening to the jukebox, while a young man mixed a cocktail for her – what could be nicer?

next episode

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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.

Di of Pensitivity 101 – Thursday’s Three Things Challenge: PICK, MIX, TAKEN

Denise Farley of GirlieOnTheEdge
Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt: SWIRL

Now that was weird

Chris Hall57 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

I had a little problem, back a couple of years. At the time, my right eye could hardly see at all.

I would miss things, especially on the floor. One time I opened the dishy-wishy (that was what I called it then – the dishwasher). I turned around and back again, and I forgot what I was doing. But then I tripped and fell over the open dishy-wishy (oops) – but fortunately I wasn’t hurt.

However, if I was out in the sunshine, I could see the bright light and the beautiful sun. I could see the reflection on the pavement, but I couldn’t see anyone on my right side. I would walk on the pavement and around the beach, there were shadows on the ground but not next to me. But hey-ho… It was fine as I always love the light, the sun and the sea.

But I couldn’t understand how it worked. Why does the reflection move me?
How odd. How very odd. But does it matter?
Thank goodness it’s better now and I can see properly again.

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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 Unicorn Challenge-19/07/24

The Old Vampire

Chris Hall52 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

previously

She had been looking at her smartphone many times, but there was nothing there, the two gargoyles had not moved at all and the cemetery was also silent in the moonlight, apart from a couple of young people who had almost shed all their clothing; the red-head woman had looked away, and up over the city into Montmartre, as she sighed and got into bed.

The next day was the weekend and it was particularly busy: the bells had been ringing around the two cathedrals and there was music everywhere, there was even a very tall clown wearing bangles, bows and buttons, and he was playing a tambourine; the red-head looked down from her tiny flat, she rubbed her head, as she decided to go out and down.

Meanwhile the two gargoyles laughed out loud as the red-head woman walked away; they knew that this would only work if she went on her own.

Too much noise still, thought the red-head woman, as she began to walk down one of the cobble streets; the music was strident and strange, as the frequency began to build like a big beat on the drum – faster and faster – the noise was unbearable, and then suddenly… it stopped.

‘Who is this?’ – she looked around, and then she saw a high window in the old house, she looked again to see a young girl.

Suddenly she remembered what the gargoyles said, and she realised this was a vampire – but she was not expecting this one.

next episode

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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.

Di of Pensitivity 101 – Wednesday’s Three Things Challenge: BELLS, BUTTONS, BOWS

Denise Farley of GirlieOnTheEdge
Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt: FREQUENCY

Up into the light

Chris Hall53 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

You hanker down wondering what to do, as you look right and left. It’s a lonely, dark and strange place, and the road is steep and narrow. Slowly you go up, as it twists and turns, you are not distracted, you keep going.

You trudge on, feeling anguish and pain. It’s taking so long, but still you’re going in the right direction, even though it’s so arduous. You’re feeling that you’re falling away, but you have to go on.

Don’t look back (whatever you do) keep going.
Don’t look too far.
Don’t look up, not yet.

You want to go into the sunshine but it’s still too dark and too frightening.
You are desperate to see the sunshine… please!

You want to go into another place.

You start to climb.
Going up and up again and you’re feeling more confident at least.
As you go into this special place – at last.

You turn around this time and you look back.
Now it’s time. Definitely.
Be bold, be happy – it’s coming…

You go into the light now. The sky is blissful.
And you walk into the sunset now and later you run into the moon and the stars.|
You will be a new star… yes!

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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.

Gargoyles

Chris Hall55 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

previously

As she said goodbye to Bjorn, and his beautiful car; she had a new piece, and this time it was a digital art, not that she completely understood it, but Bjorn had promised her that her digital art would double her money in a year.

She had gritted her teeth not thinking about the crash landing on the plane last week, particularly since she had to get on another plane so soon, but now she was back in her tiny flat in Montmartre.

The red-head woman was quite solitary, not like she was in the past, back then she was the life and soul when she had been a Raconteuse; but now she drifts around different places, never settling down, although she will always come back to Paris, the problem is she can’t write as she did.

But she still has some fun.

Nearby was a large empty and old building, where she let herself in; she grinned as she quietly climbed up the rickety stairs and over the wide and shallow roof with several tall chimneys.

The sun was going down all around the city – isn’t it beautiful – and yes, there are two gargoyles and they are coming alive.

next episode

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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.

Denise Farley of GirlieOnTheEdge
Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt: DOUBLE

May Day

Chris Hall55 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

previously

The ash and sulphur became so dense as the plane banked horribly and listed alarmingly – mayday, mayday – shouted the captain; at this point, the red-head writer, aka the Raconteuse, had so many thoughts but then she blacked out, which was just as well, since the plane lost power: it shuddered and quivered but it glided on the ice.

Just a few minutes later she’d recovered, she stared around, the plane was crippled and in a bad way, but it seemed that everyone was safe; and even better the volcano was silent again, just a few plumes of moulted rock and ash around.

The red-head writer realised that it would be a very long way to walk, but what else would she do; she decided that she would go alone and quickly – she was wearing all her warm clothes and she had a big bag – everything she needed.

She looked at her GPS, then set out.

She had been walking at least two hours, there was no ice now and it’s easier to walk, but suddenly the steep shale made her tumbled down, she had a long fall and stopped, she was rather shaken but soon recovered; now she saw a bank with deep water where the stream levels out – and here was the road.

A little later, she saw a huge car, she waved with her big bag, and it stopped; she smiled happily as she was whisked away by an excellent friend who drives too fast.

next episode

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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.

Di of Pensitivity 101 – Wednesday’s Three Things Challenge: SHUDDER, SHAKE, QUIVER

Denise Farley of GirlieOnTheEdge
Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt: LEVEL

More #SixSentenceStories

At the gallery

Chris Hall45 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

She stared around the gallery. The main room had all the great masters in the old wing, very dull, she thought, but this part is new and rather posh, how nice.

She lifted a glass from the tray, sipping the bubbly, then she glided around the room. Some rather good paintings, modern in an interesting way but nothing particularly could her eye. But then she sees an imposing sculpture. It rears up, a hooded man and a gaping maw, and it looks rather frightening. Does his expression reflect the artist’s angst?

Apocalypse by Cliff Davies

She made her way up to the second floor. Then suddenly two men – clearly artists – both of them held up their fists. She hedged away, gripping her glass in her hand. People began to stare. Then a moment later, the fight began on the staircase. But it finished as quickly as it started. What was that about, she wondered, as the two artists shook hands and left.

Two hours later, her flight was called. She smiled quietly as she’d acquired a little picture from the gallery wall, where she’d stashed her big bag.

next episode

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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.

Di of Pensitivity 101
Saturday’s Three Things Challenge: FIGHT, FLIGHT, FRIGHT

Shall I Stay or Shall I Go

Chris Hall53 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

‘Please can I have my life back,’ she said. ‘Is it too much to ask?’

She can stride around the garden and she can run up and down the stairs, several times.
She’s so fit but she can’t go out.

But there’s no one. No one at all.

Quiet, very quiet, she thinks.

She looks at the big door; the one that opens in the street, and she looks back in the hall, for a moment.

Then slowly, very slowly, she opens the door, just a tiny crack.
She opens a little more – a creaking sound – then nothing.

She looks out, staring left and right.

‘Shall I come out?’

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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.