Back up to the roof

Chris Hall42 Comments

Photo by daveygravyouis on Unsplash

previously

The red-head woman had been poring over the ancient documents, doing her damndest to make any sense at all, she had been searching for clues and she had made some headway, but not enough.

She looked out from her tiny balcony where she could just see the old building round the corner; it was going dark – time to go – she closed the screen and put her tablet on the table, it seemed unlikely that she’d need that up there.

She had made her way to the old building, making sure no one was around, as she quickly opened the door with her key, and shut it again; she could already hear the two gargoyles bickering on the roof, as usual, but what were they saying?

‘Well, we’ve both heard on the grapevine that this old place would be replaced with a grand and tall building, but where can we go? – they were wringing their hands.

As she got up and so close this time, she realized how huge and ugly they were, quite terrifying in fact, but she was hardly the type who would faint; so she smiled as brightly as she could, and said, ‘I think you could help me… please?’

The two gargoyles did their best to smile back, ‘we are happy to help, as we can talk and read in several languages, so let’s see,’ – while the red-head woman spread out the ancient deeds – two gargoyles peered at them – ‘August 1789’ sacre-bleu!– so you know what this means…

next episode

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Di of Pensitivity 101 – Wednesday’s Three Things Challenge: TABLET, SCREEN, KEY

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

Back in her cubbyhole

Chris Hall49 Comments

Photo by Louis Paulin on Unsplash

previously

The red-head woman climbed up the rickety stairs to the top level of her tiny flat, as she lugged her big bag which contained all those interesting things, which she had brought from that antique safe in that old almost empty building.

Earlier she still could hardly believe what had happened just by the spooky cemetery around the corner; one of the graves had exploded, as a chasm appeared, for several minutes it was chaos, but then the chasm had closed and the large grave looked just the same as before.

She had been about to go back down from the roof, when she saw the two gargoyles flying away; she felt rather sad to see them go and she wondered if she would see them again, but then she heard one of them shout back to her – see you later!

She shook her head for a moment, but now she was busy again; she had removed everything from her bag and spread them around her bed; there was an old beautiful book, various important documents and nestling in the little box – a ring – she quickly put on her finger, it was set in a lovely ruby, maybe an engagement ring, she’d thought?

She looked at the deeds that were very difficult to read, she scrolled down – French was not her first language – but she could tell that this was something about the old building where the gargoyles stay.

Now there is a thought – do gargoyles read?

next episode

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

Beautiful Babe

Chris Hall58 Comments

eyes so large and blue
tiny hands and tiny toes
she smiles at the camera
what a pretty pose, she grins

she wonders who she’ll be
will she be a painter or a poet
maybe a doctor or a judge
she can be anyone at all

she laughs out loud
and gives a little wink
but just for the moment
she’s busy with her blocks

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Image credit: Colin Maynard @ Unsplash 

For the visually challenged reader, this image shows a Caucasian baby around one year old, staring into the camera with her big blue-grey eyes. In her hands, she’s holding a wooden block that she is trying to eat.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #241 photo prompt.

What do you see # 241- 3rd June, 2024

Notre-Dame

Chris Hall69 Comments

Photo by KaLisa Veer on Unsplash

previously

The red-head woman ducked down from the roof, it was all very well to watch all this stuff around the cemetery and the two gargoyles were still bickering (she had been thinking about that though, especially of this old building would be razed to the ground) but something more important needed to be done: it was the antique safe – last push more to open it.

But first she needed to drink; she opened her flask and poured, then lifted up her hot cup of coffee, she took several gulps, then it was time to finish that job.

She had tried this several times, turning the lock back and forth, and she was pretty certain it would open this time: turn to the right ‘C’ 4 times, left ‘L’ 3 times, right ‘E’ 2 times, left ‘F’ 1 time, then right to stop; and there it goes, the mechanical combination safe was open!

She grinned for a moment, then dived in; a little later, she created a little dance around the room, then she pocketed several chosen things.

She was about to leave the back entrance of the old building, but she decided to go up onto the roof once more; it was dark again, as the moon was obscured, she peered over the roof where she could hear voices down in the cemetery, but what was happening?

Suddenly, one of the large graves exploded, ash poured out as a deep chasm appeared; fire licked up around the buildings; it was chaos.

next episode

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Di of Pensitivity 101 – Wednesday’s Three Things Challenge: CREATE, CHAOS, CHASM

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

Let’s Write

Chris Hall45 Comments

What am I going to do today?
Perhaps I could make a list
I drift around the house
And I ponder.

There’s so many things in my brain
What should I choose first?

I’m busy on my laptop
And I’m busy on my phone
And then I walk around the garden
Hoping something will come out in my speech.

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Image credit:  Dollar Gill @ Unsplash

For the visually challenged reader, this image shows an open book lying on a flat surface, its pages ruffled as by wind. Behind we see a luminous blue globe, and some fuzzy fairy lights, and in the distance a cloudy sky can be seen.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #240 photo prompt.

What do you see # 240 – May 27, 2024

Full Moon

Chris Hall48 Comments

Photo by Abdullah Ahmad on Unsplash

previously

‘That can’t be,’ she she thought, ‘two gargoyles moving around on the roof?’ she stared for several minutes, but the gargoyles stood completely still, as she had expected; she clambered over the shallow roof, it was time to get busy – as she went back down the rickety stairs, she was going to pick a lock.

The red-head woman had been all around the old building – twice – where she had been casing the joint; there was not much there anymore, but in the basement there was something useful, it was an antique safe – all she needed was some time and patience: she had done this before.

She had her torch and her picking things; she had been at this for more than an hour, but it’s almost there; suddenly she heard a noise on the roof; a moment later she was taken back with amazement – the two gargoyles were very much alive – and bickering.

We need a new place because the old one would be replaced with a grand and tall building, and that’s no good, but where will we go?’ – ‘I don’t know where and it’s too dark to see,’ but then suddenly the full moon breaks out and all the roofs were almost light here in Montmartre.

The red-head woman could hardly believe it, she stared around wondering what might happen next; it was almost midnight as she looked down to the cemetery – just behind her – bats and owls, and mythical things – very spooky.

next episode

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Denise Farley of Girlie On The Edge
Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt: LIGHT

Inside – Outside

Chris Hall47 Comments

she’s a little black and white cat
who tippy toes around the house
walking silently then staring out

now she’s in the garden
clawing the old bench
then she prowls around

she climbs on the wall
who’s out there?

there’s no one in the close
and no one in the bushes
where are they?

she’s back in the garden
sauntering and scampering

but soon she’s ready to snooze
suddenly she’s awake
who is it?

there’s almost a squabble
but the other cat as already gone
and quite right too

now it’s back to base
and it’s lunchtime
and lots of purring

a little later
she’s gone back to bed
what a lovely life she has!

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Image credit:  Jon Tyson @ Unsplash

For the visually challenged reader, this image shows a wall graffiti: a picture of a black cat with mismatched eyes, and different words scrolled on the wall around it.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #239 photo prompt.

What do you see # 239- May 20, 2024

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

Springing up

Chris Hall49 Comments

the lanterns spring up
all around the world
little specks of light
filling up with glee

the colours are vivid
from crimson to mauve
as they skipped around with joy
what a beautiful globe

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Image credit: Leon Contreras @ Unsplash

For the visually challenged reader, this image shows many lanterns floating into the night sky. Some are nearby are more visible than others which are far away.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #238 photo prompt.

What do you see # 238- May 13, 2024

Road Trip

Chris Hall42 Comments

Photo by Ken Cheung on Unsplash

previously

The red-headed writer had never met this guy until just now, although they had been friends for several years, as they had been doing posts in the ether (or at least in a phone or laptop); there had lost touch for a while doing other things, but it didn’t matter now as there were both grinning.

For a couple of hours they talked and joked, what a beautiful place, she said, several times, as Bjorn laughed just like a bear; he drove long and hard on the plateaus and in the valleys, but then he turned off to a small location, almost right by the sea: ‘there’s my spot, he said.

They sat down in the warm and cozy house – there was toast and sardines with whisky – as they looked out on the wilderness.

Then it was 10.30 pm and it’s dark and she’s tired now; meanwhile, Bjorn was doing strange things in his computer, ‘bits’ and ‘bots’ and ‘non-fungible tokens’ – of which she knew nothing and she smiled as she went to bed, wrapped up next to her huge big bag.

She woke up and it was almost light; she went out and down to the beach, how many grains of sand are there, could she hold just one in her hand? and then it happened…

Suddenly, a green smudge of light materialised as the magical spectacle began; it skipped across the darkness of space, while the shimmering liquid flames danced around the sky: it was the aurora borealis.

next episode

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Denise Farley of Girlie On The Edge
Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt: GRAIN

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