Tag: 250 word story

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

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

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.


Equinox

Chris Hall66 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

It’s late afternoon as I walked along the sand dunes near the sea, smiling as I hopped down the bank to the beach, striding along to the rock pools, then poking around to see what was there; I could be busy for hours.

As it was getting into evening, it was still warm as I walked around the edge of the ocean, looking far out in the lovely False Bay; then I looked back at the harbour, as I waved at Jannie who’s a fishermen, who works to catch squid and octopus in the dark sea in the night.

Much later, I flung open my window, and there she was, the beautiful moon, Selene. There she stood alone, with all the stars around her; her gibbous moon lay on her back, arching her jewelled scimitar.

I shut my eyes for a moment, and then I saw the octopuses dancing up in the sky, shooting stars around the world, for twice a year it’s the equinox, as the celestial moon brings the spring rebirth, while the harvest moon must rest for the winter. Meanwhile, the octopuses play in the Milky Way, because all of the octopuses are aliens.

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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’s Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt: BANK

More #SixSentenceStories

Harvest Moon

Chris Hall59 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

The red-headed writer, aka the Raconteuse, had a plan – she was on WhatsApp with Jenne, Denise and Mimi, telling them that she was still a little magic left in her journey around the world; we’ll meet tomorrow, and don’t worry about the different time zones, I’ll handle it.

Now they were sitting in a beautiful wine garden in the château in Franschhoek, right by the vineyards where they are bringing back the harvest – you see, it was autumn in the southern hemisphere. In a little while two waiters brought wine, juice and delicious food; then they rested – it was so peaceful and calm, and they must have drifted into slumber for a while.

Later, they woke up and it was almost dark; they walked along the Huguenots Monument and further, now it was rather steep, rugged and remote; they laid down on the sweet fynbos, and there it is, the Harvest Moon, huge yellow and magnificent – but that was all they could remember.

Did we dream it – all of us – in different places? But no, on the table, each one has a small silver box and inside it has a little locket; WhatsApp pings, it’s the Raconteuse, you know, it’s going to be useful one day, she said.

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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 Girlie On The Edge’s Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt: REMOTE

Click on the Café sign for more #SixSentenceStories

P.S. I am reading ‘The Moon of Autumn: Word Weaving No.1‘ edited by Colleen Chesebro & Jules Paige – I know so many lovely people in WP.

Maybe it’s a mashup

Chris Hall46 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

I didn’t expect that, but what a happy coincidence – two things happened at the same time (well, almost); just like ‘kill two birds with one stone’ (not literally, of course), but now I have ‘Six Sentence Stories’ and ‘The Unicorn Challenge’, how fun!

So, anyway, look at the photo – three musicians, all fine players, performing.

I remember the wonderful song ‘Pass the Dutchie’ (1982), written by three songwriters: Jackie Mittoo, Fitzroy ‘Bunny’ Simpson and Lloyd ‘Judge’ Ferguson from Kingston. It talks about the Dutch oven, a type of cooking pot, in Jamaica, and how very delicious it is. Even more interesting, the Jamaican slang is from a pot holding marijuana, although we would never use it (ehem).

So, enjoy the music!

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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 Girlie On The Edge’s Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt: PASS
Click on the Café sign for more #SixSentenceStories

The Facility #8

Chris Hall61 Comments

Stretching out your hand towards the familiar face, the one you remember from the mirror, your fingertips brush lightly over the surface of the tank; the occupant’s eyes blink open and the mouth gapes back at you in surprise – or is it horror? Recoiling from the unexpected engagement, you step back, a silent oath escaping your lips, as your companion – or rather, your colleague – takes you gently by the elbow and steers you to a desk in the corner of the room.

Gazing nervously over your shoulder, you look down at the journal that lies open before you. Recognizing your own handwriting, your eyes explore the text, the calculations, the diagrams – it’s all here – your head whips around once again and the face which floats behind the glass implores you: end this!

Mind whirring, you page desperately through the journal’s dated entries – puzzle pieces click and unclick, form and re-form – you sweep the journal from the desk and rush from the room, through the door and into the corridor; footsteps follow as you hurtle down the stairs to the exit, where you throw open the fire escape doors and run into the street; your only instinct is to flee… straight into the waiting arms of the blank-faced orderly.

He eases you into the waiting wheelchair and pushes you back into the building where the homely-looking nurse in her crisp white uniform stands waiting, clipboard in hand; she smiles: ‘Welcome back, Dr Conel, we’ve been expecting you.’

Confused? You might be! Read previous episodes of The Facility here.

Written in response to two challenges:

– Di of Pensitivity101‘s Wednesday’s Three Things Challenge – OATH, ENGAGE, PUSH
– Denise Farley of GirlieOnTheEdge‘s Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt – EXPLORE

Photo credit: Scott Webb on Unsplash

More Splendid Sixes HERE – watch out for the zombies!

The Facility #7

Chris Hall56 Comments

White-knuckled, you grip the handrail as your companion urges you to hurry down several flights of stairs while the words you’ve just seen written on the wall, seemingly in your own hand, still circle around in your head, nudging at the nodes of your memory; puzzle pieces trying to assemble.

At the next landing, your companion motions you to stop while he peers through the viewing panel in one of the double doors; satisfied, he motions you over and you slip through the door after him, across the hallway and along another anonymous corridor until you come to another unmarked door, where he withdraws a key-card from his pocket and thrusts it into the lock, before hauling you inside.

You stare about the space, where a multitude of machines are whirring; a large central desk dominates the room, on it is a photograph showing twelve people, dressed in white lab coats like the one you’re wearing now: all of them look familiar.

Your companion guides you through a second door and when you enter what you see triggers the puzzle pieces to click into place; you fall to your knees, the burden of your understanding crushing you, but in this newly-established reality, the bioethics of what you now realise you and your companions have done are not the priority.

Within the blue-lit gloom are a series of twelve tanks, each contains a body connected to a central station via a series of wires and tubes.

One of them is yours.

Confused? You might be! Read previous episodes of The Facility here.

Written in response to two challenges:

– Di of Pensitivity101‘s Wednesday’s Three Things Challenge – YES, ETHICS, KNEE
– Denise Farley of GirlieOnTheEdge‘s Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt – GRIP

Photo credit: Scott Webb on Unsplash

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