Message in a Bottle

Chris Hall58 Comments

The ocean beckons,
what shall we do today?
I know what we can do,
let’s throw a pretty bottle in to the sea.
Oh yes, it’s always nice to send one out.
It needs a note, of course,
we’ll write it together;
a moment later, it was done.
We just need to bung the cork back,
and off it goes.

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Image credit: Tanya Barrow @Unsplash

This image shows a set of steps leading to a structure on a beach with multiple directional arrows pointing in different directions. Some of the names written on these arrows are Hogwarts, London, New York, Saas Fee, Dubai, Area 51, Bangkok, etc. In the background, you can see the ocean waves and sand.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #304 photo prompt.

Plus, Di of Pensitivity 101 – Monday’s Three Things Challenge: BOTTLE, BUNG, CORK

What do you see # 304- 1st September, 2025

Another bar

Chris Hall61 Comments

Photo Prompt © Dale Rogerson

She had been staring for some time. She’d been cradling a large brandy glass, and it still wasn’t empty, it was warm and mellow, like she could’ve had a small cigar in the past. But that was long ago, it was so different then.

She watched the young things, who were dancing in the moonlight. She began reminiscing – so many ideas and plans, but nothing was real.

She put down her glass, as she took something out. She fiddled with it, and put it back again. Nothing worked.

She stood up, and walked away.
But no one saw her.

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

29 August 2025

Busy…

Chris Hall41 Comments


we are so busy
this is me, I’m a squirrel
and who’s over there?
tiny wax bills and sun birds
we’re chattering and chirping

there’s two pretty doves
and a couple of weavers
I’m going up now
there are so many creatures
just paradise, isn’t it

~~~

Personification – so interesting!
Written in response to this week’s Tanka Challenge hosted by Robbie Cheadle.

#TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 27, Personification, 08/26/25

Some happiness (Tales from the SSC&B)

Chris Hall45 Comments

William Bereza on Unsplash

The red-headed writer (aka la Raconteuse) had been pondering since she still couldn’t fathom who had written that strange note; it was indelibly etched in her brain, and she had shoved it in her big bag while she’d thought about something else for a bit.

She was very much happier since the whole crowd – meaning the Proprietors – were all back, plus a couple of others who had joined as well; they were all pretty busy, even though some of them had been doing certain nefarious things, well, she at least thought so.

La Raconteuse stretched for a moment then moved over to the bar; she craned over to watch Mimi and Tom who were parading their new aprons – they had found them on their pegs on the back of the door in the kitchen.

Denise, the Bartender, explained: ‘I’d wondered what would look good on those aprons since there are so many symbols around everywhere; I’d thought maybe a dove, or maybe a heart, but then, of course,’ as she grinned, ‘here it’s on the floor.’

‘Ah yes, we all know that place don’t we,’ as la Raconteuse smiled, ‘what a perfect idea.’

She turned around and looked up where the Gatekeeper was back in his usual spot – he’d returned to the front entrance, as he was lighting his cigar; the red-head writer dropped down from the bar, as she ran up to talk to him, she hugged him and said: ‘we will never forget what you wrote there.’

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Di of Pensitivity 101 – Wednesday’s Three Things Challenge: STRETCH, SYMBOL, SHOVE

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

More #SixSentenceStories

Lovely France

Chris Hall59 Comments

I’m looking down,
in this interesting place,
I haven’t been there before.

It’s very beautiful,
and such a lovely day,
I’ve always liked France.

I’ve been over the sea,
but the warm land
is even better.

I’m a seagull
is there any food here?

~~~

Image credit: Eugenia Pankiv @Unsplash

This image shows the rooftop of a building, with turrets and a sloping roof! There are different birds sitting on the roof, including a seagull. There are bird droppings all over the turret, chimney, and the roof.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #303 photo prompt.

What do you see # 203- August 25,2025

What’s in that building?

Chris Hall50 Comments

PHOTO PROMPT © Lisa Fox

‘That’s a big building.’
‘What’s in there?’
The two of them had been walking around, since they were on holiday and in another city.

‘Well, it’s open…’
‘… and free, apparently.’
Half way up they realised it was a new venture – art, lots of art.
‘It’s a gallery.’

‘Ooh look at these. Installations – and huge ones.’
‘But what do they mean?’
‘Do they mean anything?’

There was several storeys, and all very odd.
‘Gosh, look at these…’
‘… lots of mannequins and umbrellas.’
‘It’s called Art on the Roof.’

‘Beyond bizarre. That’s enough for me.’
‘Shall we go for lunch?’

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

Just Rose

Chris Hall47 Comments

canva.com

so where was that witch?
I had been looking for her
which way would she go?
I rose up, holding a rose
that would please her, very much

~~~

It’s a taiga  – created by Colleen and Robbie – such a nice idea!

Written in response to this week’s Tanka Challenge hosted by Yvette M. Calleiro

#TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 26, Multiple Meanings, 08/19/25

Time to write… (Tales from the SSC&B)

Chris Hall52 Comments

William Bereza on Unsplash

The red-headed writer (aka la Raconteuse) had just sat down in her usual booth, all seemed fine, as she started to open her laptop, as she glanced over to the bar where her usual suspects (meaning the Proprietors) – although of course they were not usual suspects at all.

However, she had realised that there were a couple of people around now who she felt were big time hoodlums – like Lou and Rosetta, still they were pretty cool and clearly well-bred and ‘interesting’, and for that she was fine about it.

Then she saw a written note inside her laptop, and that was weird: who had written that? – she didn’t recognise the writing, and why did it say – ‘this is very misleading, isn’t it’; she stared around for a bit, but the only thing she was sure, was that someone had been sitting here just before.

There was no signature, and just six words, how can that help, she wondered; but never worry about that for the moment: time to write!

She had been doing some poetry earlier; it was a good exercise to take more than one meaning; she’d used ‘witch’ and ‘which’, but what next – ‘rose’ or a pretty ‘rose’; but meanwhile, she was also writing a tiny story, one which only used 100 words.

But now she was thinking about food – some nice bread and a lovely moist and rare steak; and suddenly she giggled out loud, that was a perfect word for this… ‘stake’ (poor vampire).

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Di of Pensitivity 101 – Wednesday’s Three Things Challenge: BRED, BREAD, MISLEAD

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

More #SixSentenceStories

Inside and Outside

Chris Hall55 Comments

Inside and Outside

Pitter patter raindrops,
as I’m looking outside,
while that pretty bench
continued to drip, drip.

I’m tempted to go out,
since it was not cold,
in fact, it was rather warm,
so why not do so?

I grabbed my umbrella,
and then ran outside,
I danced across that pretty bench
and what fun I had.

~~~

Image credit: Richard Stachmann @Unsplash

This image shows the view of a white wooden bench through a fog stained window. There are trees and green grass behind the bench. There is evidence of rain!

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #302 photo prompt.

What do you see # 302- 18 August, 2025

Just graves?

Chris Hall49 Comments

© J Hardy Carroll

I’ve always liked graves. Admittedly I’d only go in the daytime. But I’d be there from morning to evening, since I was a writer and it was such a peaceful place.

I’d write small stories, but they would be fun (mostly), while using my notebook and a couple of pencils. Nothing fancy like a laptop – not invented then.

But then I found that the darkness was even better. I’d fallen asleep and something had changed. After that it seemed that something else was required. But never mind about that.

Just have a look – my little fangs are so pretty!

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