Navigating these Stormy Seas

Chris Hall45 Comments

The picture shows a stormy sea with an old ship battling the winds.

Hold hard, me handsome hearties!

He yells above the storm

Together we’ll get through this

if our duties we perform.

 

Through stormy days and stormy nights

our trusty craft will sail

So have a care and to your posts

and we’ll survive this gale.

 

Through life’s uncertainties we’ll steer

a course that’s not foretold

We’ll overcome the challenges

with the fortitude of old.

 

So join me now and have good cheer

cast all your doubts away

with hope and strength and kindness

we’ll survive another day.

Written in response to Sadje’s What Do You See #26 photo prompt.
Image credit: Thommas on Pixabay

The Dragon Inspector Calls

Chris Hall26 Comments

A small cute purple dragon

Alys was stirring a batch of Witches’ Wonder Beauty Cream when she heard a knock at the door.

‘We’re not expecting anyone are we, Sparky?’

The diminutive dragon looked up from the Weekly Witch where he was reading about their recent success in the WI Competition. He shook his head.

Alys turned off the cauldron with a wand-wave before opening the door. She was greeted by broad chest with a large belt buckle below it. Alys stepped back in surprise. ‘Oh, it’s a giant!’

The owner of the large belt buckle stooped down and a big black bearded face appeared. ‘Your doorway is somewhat small, but I’ll just…’ The giant squeezed himself inside. ‘Right.’ He looked down at Alys with a stern expression on his face.

Alys looked up at him. Fearing for her ceiling she asked him to sit down. The giant perched on the edge of her work table, whose legs groaned loudly.

‘What can I do for you?’ Alys asked.

The giant consulted the clipboard he was holding. ‘You’re Alice of the Western Witches’ Coven?’

‘That’s right.’

‘My name is Bruwod. I’m here about a Breach of Ye Olde Treaty of Magical Creatures’.

Alys frowned. Sparky flew up onto her shoulder. A wisp of agitated steam escaped from his left nostril.

Bruwod leapt to his feet. A sprinkling of plaster peppered his shoulders as his head hit the ceiling. He pointed at Sparky. ‘You have a dragon!’

‘And I have a hole in my ceiling,’ replied Alys testily. ‘What’s this about?’

Bruwod glanced at the upwards and seated himself again. The table sighed heavily. ‘Your dragon is Unregistered in Breach of Regulation 6.66. He will be impounded and released back into the wild.’ He jabbed his pencil in Sparky’s direction.

The diminutive dragon snorted in alarm, sending out tiny showers of purple sparks from his flaring nostrils.

‘Into the wild? I’ve had him since he was an egg!’ said Alys in alarm.

‘Do you have the Proper Documentation for his Provenance?’

Alys shook her head.

‘You’re keeping a Protected Species without the Proper Documentation.’ Bruwod stabbed his pencil on his clipboard for emphasis. The point promptly broke.

With a whoosh and a bang and a cloud of red smoke, a piece of parchment appeared on the doormat. They all turned to look. The parchment reared up revealing a picture of Bruwod framed by the words: ‘Wanted for Dragon Abduction; Reward Offered.’

Bruwod flung down his clipboard and lunged towards Sparky who flew up in alarm, golden flames shooting from his nostrils. Bruwod grabbed at him with a meaty hand catching him by the tail. ‘Gotcha!’

Alys snatched up her wand as Sparky shot a dagger of brilliant blue flame into Bruwod’s face. The giant let go, tripping over the doormat and landing in heap next to the retired cauldron.

Not familiar with the Craft of Combat and Containment, Alys struggled for a spell, but the retired cauldron was quicker, casting a huge net over the writhing giant.

A gruff voice shouted from the other side of the door. ‘Witchery Enforcement! Stand back, we’re coming in!’ The door burst open.

It only took a few moments for the four burly officers to bundle Bruwod into their van. ‘Well done, Miss, you’ve captured a dangerous criminal,’ said their leader touching the peak of his cap with his wand.

‘It wasn’t really me,’ Alys glanced at her retired cauldron which quivered gently.

‘Nevertheless, we’re grateful for the assistance.’ He handed Alys a voucher for Acme’s Ingredients and Equipment for Witches.

Alys and Sparky grinned. It was their favourite store.

Written in response to a prompt from Susan T. Braithwaite
Genre Scribes Friday Fiction Writing Challenge #41

The challenge this week was treaty.
Photo credit: clipart-library.com

Read more Alys and Sparky adventures here!

The Hound of Hellidore

Chris Hall17 Comments

The Hound of Hellidore by Chris Hall lunasonline

The hooded figure and the magnificent hound disappeared inside the castle. Sinead and Moonsprite followed, forced to walk singly in the narrow torch-lit passageway.

‘Courage, Sinead!’

The voice echoed in her head once again. She remembered when she’d first heard it: when she’d last gone into battle. But why the welcome and now the warning?

The voice continued. ‘Both good and evil lie within these walls and not everything as it seems. Remember this.’

Up ahead, the figure halted before an archway. The hound sat bolt upright, its attention fixed on whatever lay beyond. As Sinead and Moonsprite approached, the figure lowered its hood revealing the smiling face of an elderly elf. His green-tipped ears twitched merrily.

‘I am Tarron. I bid you welcome. This is the Hound of Hellidore. He will lead you to the Great Maze of Mandoran. Choose your path wisely and you will pass through unscathed.’

Image credit: wallpaperswide.com

Read the previous episodes of Sinead’s Final Quest

100 Silly Words

Chris Hall50 Comments

The picture shows two brown bunnies hugging each other. There are a couple of brightly coloured eggs next to them.

I have a mirror which makes

me look thinner.

Not quite svelte

but at least I can loosen my belt,

to allow the occasional treat.

 

So bring me chocolate and sweets

and sugary treats

and promise not to tell

 

That the width of my waist

when sucked in with haste,

isn’t as large as I think

when approaching the sink

to wash up the debris of sin.

 

But here’s to the spring

when each living thing

starts to frolic and dance in the sun.

 

I’ll be hidden away

with the stash of today:

chocolate bunnies and eggs

and a book.

Written in response to Sadje’s What Do You See #25 photo prompt.
Image credit: Annca on Pixabay

Inside the Castle of Mandoran

Chris Hall16 Comments

Closed Iron Doors

Sinead and Moonsprite stood before the castle walls. Sinead grasped the Sword of Elshain in one hand and buried the fingers of her other hand in the unicorn’s snowy mane.

The huge iron doors of the castle swung open. ‘Lay aside your weapon. We welcome you!’ Was the voice inside Sinead’s head or did it come from within the castle walls? Moonsprite nuzzled her shoulder and she sheathed her sword.

Together they crossed over the threshold. The doors clanged shut behind them.

Flowers carpeted the castle grounds. Breathing in their heady perfume, Sinead began to relax for the first time in many weeks. Moonsprite whinnied gently, burying her muzzle in the brightly coloured petals.

Ahead of them another door creaked open and a cloaked figure appeared, holding a massive hound on a leash.

The figure beckoned with a crooked finger. ‘Come inside, both of you!’

Sinead and Moonsprite dutifully obeyed.

Written in response to a prompt from Susan T. Braithwaite
Genre Scribes Friday Fiction Writing Challenge #40

The challenge this week was leash. Photo credit: Kevin Jackson on Unsplash

Sinead and Moonsprite apologise for hi-jacking this week’s challenge, but they have an important quest to complete. Previous episodes of their quest may be found here

Together we are strong

Chris Hall47 Comments

wdys 24 the picture shows a neon sign with the words You Are Here in the background a view of city lights

In that darkest hour
just before dawn
when night-time terrors
clutch my heart

You are here.

In black-dog moments
when tears well up
and despair’s dark hands
wrench me apart

You are here.

When sunbeams stream forth
as storm clouds part
and laughter and song
fill my heart

You are here.

And we will survive
this troubled world
because together, my love
we are strong.

Written as a ‘two for one’ prompt response to:

1) Sadje’s What Do You See #24 photo prompt – photo credit: Pexels.
2) Di of Pensitivity 101‘s Three Things Challenge #198 – phobia, cry, laugh (loosely)

3tc 2020-logo

#Indie #Author #Interview: Chris Hall discusses #reading, #blogging, #writinginspiration, and other delightful bits of the #writinglife. Thanks, @ChrissyH_07!

Chris Hall10 Comments

I was honoured to be interviewed by the wonderful author, reviewer, blogger, home-schooler (and so much more), Jean Lee! This is the outcome.
P.S. – make sure you vote for Jean’s short story – there’s a link at the end of the post.

jeanleesworld's avatarJean Lee's World

Greetings, one and all! After a rough week schooling the kiddos at home (stay tuned for THAT post), it’s high time we celebrate Indie April with an interview with an AMAZING writer and reader, Chris Hall.

Let’s begin with the niceties. Tell us a little about yourself, please!

Nice to be here, Jean!

I was born, grew up, lived and worked in the UK until 10 years ago, when childless, in our forties and fed up with our jobs, my husband, Cliff and I upped sticks and emigrated to South Africa. We’d already met people here through a school exchange programme which Cliff was involved in, visited numerous times, and finally decided to come to a new country and do something different.

We’ve settled in a town about 30 miles from Cape Town, where we can almost see the ocean from our house. Our cat, Luna (after whom my blog…

View original post 2,734 more words

One Last Chance

Chris Hall35 Comments

Planet Earth watercolour painting by Elena Mozhvilo@miracleday Unsplash

Great Being Five had been twiddling her thumbs for too long at the Academy for Wisdom¹. Over the decades she’d re-educated many recalcitrant Great Beings and re-engineered their wrong-doings. She’d set them all back on the straight and narrow, repentant of their misdeeds in the management of their planets. But now she was bored.

True, she still retained responsibility for two planets, but one was still at the ‘rocks and slime stage’ and the other, Orea, the one she used to love so much, with its pretty pastel colours and cute, fluffy life-forms, was… well, just a little bit dull.

Five was missing her beautiful blue planet. Planet Earth, which she’d finally decided to delete² back in Earth Year 2033, before the greedy, selfish little humans destroyed it themselves and took off to infect another planet.

She missed those fallible little creatures. Back in the day, before they had too many technical toys at their disposal, they were such fun. So creative! Five sighed as a wave of nostalgia broke over her desk and splashed off her Universal Viewing Screen.

Back in the day. The thought crossed and re-crossed her mind.

It lingered while a plan formed.

She’d done it before, and she could do it again. As a top official in the Academy, she had both the authority and the autonomy. All she needed to do was turn back Time in that small solar system on the edge of the Milky Way. 

Once before she’d re-set Planet Earth, but sadly it hadn’t had much effect; soon the arrogant little inhabitants were back on the road to their inevitable existential fate. This time needed to be different. A planet-wide change of mind-set must be effected.

She knew just the Being to help her.

Five dropped a mind message to her first re-education subject, the one she knew best and her greatest success. She immediately sensed his enthusiasm for the project. He was primed and ready for action. She would take care of the Time-Grid and he would set up the means for a mind-set change.

He warned her it would be radical.
He warned her it would be tough.
He warned her it would take time.

She agreed.

Five aligned the Time-Grid: 01.01.2020.
A nice round number; not long before The Total Tipping Point.

She sat back. Watched and waited.

Planet Earth reappeared in its old position. The little humans had ceased their scurrying. They’d hunkered down and huddled in their homes. Five was saddened at the sickness and the suffering; the deaths of the elderly, the poorly and the poor.

The Earth turned and turned again
day after day
month after month.

Skies cleared. Rivers ran clean. Nature thrived and re-asserted itself.
The planet cooled down a little.

When the scourge passed, the little humans emerged. They had changed and the change came from within; a new understanding of their beautiful blue planet.

Five mind-melded with her colleague: thanks, Nineteen.

She hoped her little humans would get it right now.

¹ For the Greater Good
² And finally she pulled the plug

Photo credit: watercolour painting by Elena Mozhvilo

More from the Prophesy Book

Chris Hall20 Comments

WDYS 23 the picture shows a girl holding a book which is hiding her face. The title of the book is not clear

The sun cast its first golden rays across the heathland. Sinead and Moonsprite had been walking all night. They’d pursued the path in the starlight, pushing aside all thoughts of what lurked in the darkness beyond. Sinead had drawn the Sword of Elshain several times, but no creature had dared approach.

Both were tired now.

The path led to a stand of pine trees beckoning safety. They settled down on the soft-scented forest floor, guarding Moonsprite’s saddle bag and its precious contents between them. Sinead gathered her cloak around her, the Sword of Elshain under her hand.

Awaking to find the sun high in the sky, Sinead shared out the last of the stale oatcakes. She opened the Prophesy Book and continued reading. Raising her eyes she now saw a towering castle wall beyond the trees.

Foretold in the Prophesy Book, the first of the four last challenges lay within.

Written in response to Sadje’s What Do You See #23 photo prompt.
Image credit: Leah Kelly on Pexels

Read the previous episodes of Sinead’s Final Quest

The WI Competition

Chris Hall35 Comments

WI competition by Chris Hall lunasonlune

Alys eyed the glowing seed packet dubiously. It had just that minute materialised on her doormat with a note from Cheryl Charmworker, the Chairlady of the Inter-Coven Competition Committee.

‘Well, Sparky, this is going to be a challenge,’ Alys addressed her diminutive dragon who was still perusing Cheryl’s missive.

‘She’s asked you to represent the Western Sisterhood in the Witches’ Institute Flower and Produce competition!’

‘Only because everyone else is busy with the Mistress of Spells Symposium,’ said Alys moodily. ‘What do we know about growing stuff?’

‘We can only try, Alys. C’mon, let’s get planting. The competition’s this afternoon!’ Excited smoke danced from Sparky’s purple nostrils as he flew out of the back door.

Alys followed carrying the seed packet carefully. ‘Don’t wake until ready to sow’, the instructions had whispered.

With a bright burst of flames, Sparky cleared a patch of earth. Alys opened the packet and shook it. The tiny seeds sparkled and danced in the air before sowing themselves neatly in the fresh earth. Each seed produced a miniature spade and covered itself over. Moments later they heard the gentle sound of snoring coming from beneath the earth.

Alys and Sparky spent an anxious few hours anticipating the growth of their entry. Eventually they’d given up peeking out of the back door to find nothing happening. Alys returned to studying the ‘Biggest Book of Brilliant Spells’, while Sparky amused himself practicing his flame throwing skills in the hearth.

They were interrupted by a polite knock on the back door. Alys hurried to open it. The ugliest bunch of knobbly root vegetables she had ever seen lay neatly knotted together on the doorstep, pulsating with a peculiar pink colour. It was almost time to leave. Her heart sank. They were never going to win with these.

Alys and Sparky stood on the doormat. Alys had just read out their destination when a big bunch of tulips burst from the retired cauldron and placed itself on top of the basket holding the knobbly veggies. Alys smiled gratefully; maybe there was some hope after all.

The Witches Institute Hall hummed with excited conversation. No sooner had Alys and Sparky found their allotted spot than a judge arrived; a rotund black-bearded dwarf who introduced himself as Wilfred.

Wilfred eyed the tulips. ‘You grew these?’ he asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

Alys flushed. ‘Actually no, they were a present from my retired cauldron.’

Wilfred removed the offending flowers and peered into the basket. ‘What do we have here?’ he plucked the pulsating pink veggies from the basket.

Alys and Sparky exchanged a worried glance as Wilfred slowly turned them over in his calloused hands.  

‘These are magnificent!’ He leapt onto the table and held them aloft. ‘Pink Prestige Parsnips; notoriously difficult to grow.’ Wilfred beamed. ‘First Prize to the Western Witches’ Coven!’

A large red rosette appeared on the table next to Alys. Wilfred turned to her and whispered. ‘You would’t mind if I took a couple home, would you?’

Written in response to a prompt from Susan T. Braithwaite
Genre Scribes Friday Fiction Writing Challenge #39

The challenge this week was prestige. Photo credit: clipart.com