Tag: the two boys

Back to those two boys!

Chris Hall45 Comments

‘Come on, another race?’
‘I’m game, let’s go further into the woods.’
The two of them pedalled as fast as they could until both of them stopped… dead.

‘What a fantastic tree. It must have been chopped down.’
‘But that’s a shame.’
‘I guess so… but, well…’ as he trailed off with a thought.

The two of them dropped their bikes. They walked around that huge broken down tree. They climbed up for a while, until both of them dropped down again. They stood together just a few metres away, and they stared and stared again at that upside down tree. For a while, they seemed to be mesmerised, but then they started to giggle.

And who can draw something as good as they did?
Now that end of the tree has a proper face, a big nose, a sad mouth, and two tiny eyes.

‘Cute,’ as they grinned together.

~~~~~~~~
150 words

Crimson’s Creative Challenge #074

Choo-Choo!

Chris Hall55 Comments

A railway, a railway!
The two boys smiled happily.

How fun it is
to ride on a train,
and they could take
their bikes with them.

Only a short trip,
but that was fine,
always lucky to be on holiday,
as they grinned again.

~~~~~

Image credit:  Tobias Reich @Unsplash

This image shows a scene from a railway station. The platform on the photographer’s side is empty, and you can see a train on the opposite side, leaving, engulfed in smoke/fog.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #321 photo prompt.

What do you see # 321- 29 December 2025

Margot and two boys, and…

Chris Hall26 Comments

The two boys had almost finished decorating the rather large Christmas tree. There were many baubles and lots of tiny lights. The two of them were trying to reach the very top of the tree to put the beautiful big star on it. They were becoming rather reckless until they decided to use a chair. And even then there had been a small squabble to decide who would stand up there.

Great Aunt Margot appeared from the kitchen. She inspected the tree. ‘Very nicely done. Have you wrapped all your presents?’
‘We have, including that one which arrived earlier today. It said it was ‘post-haste’, and we were told to partly open the parcel, and then we had to rewrap it with some pretty paper.’
They looked to each other, and then to Great Aunt Margot. The two boys said in unison: ‘It’s for you, but we are foxed about that.’
‘Fancy that,’ said Great Aunt Margot, as she craned over the various presents in the side table, spying that small object. She tilted her eyebrows up.

‘Anyway,’ she said, ‘everything’s ready, a lovely Christmas Eve dinner awaits. A fish feast!’

All three of them cleared everything away, then they sat around a couple of couches.
Great Aunt Margot said: ‘we can open just one present this evening. We’ll choose.’
The two boys opened a big joint present. ‘More Lego!’ they yelled happily.
Great Aunt Margot opened the intriguing present. ‘Ah, a book. It’s called ‘Pingo’. I’ll enjoy this immensely!’

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.

Ooh, a picnic

Chris Hall65 Comments

Photo Prompts © Dale Rogerson

The two boys were laden with presents as they grinned to each other. Great Aunt Margot was chatting to stallholders while holding her huge basket.
‘It’s a lovely atmosphere when it’s Christmas,’ she said.

‘We can sit down by that useful bench, and we can have a little unprompted picnic. I assume you’re both hungry?’
‘Always,’ they chortled.
‘We’ve crispy baguette, some creamy butter and some pâté.’
They munched for a bit.

Then Great Aunt Margot said, ‘that’s enough for now. All we need is a smallish tree and we can hoist it back home.’
And that’s what they did.

~~~~~

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

12 December 2025

Art Project

Chris Hall54 Comments

Photo Prompt © Dale Rogerson

The two boys had been mooching.
‘Hold on.’ He stopped and pointed.
‘Oh, I see. Interesting.’
They looked at each other, then jumped over the hedge.

‘Ooh, a painting,’ as he peered at it.’
‘It’s a bit dreary.’
‘Here, there’s some sticky paints on the easel.’
‘We could jazz it up a bit.’

Both of them got to business.
‘This looks better. More colour.’
‘Shall I add an animal?’

Then a man appeared. ‘Oi! He strode toward them.
He was wearing a beret!
He glared.
He walked around.
And then he said: ‘Hmm, that’s actually better now, especially that kangaroo.’

~~~~~

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

31 October 2025

That’s a big tree!

Chris Hall78 Comments

Photo Prompt © Lisa Fox

‘We can easily climb that big old tree.’
‘Definitely.’
The two boys dropped their bikes.

They both stared at it, then trotted around.
‘Gosh, it’s so tall, we can hardly see the top.’ ‘No probs though.’
‘Which side shall we try?’
‘Tell you what, I’ll go on the bendy one, and you can go on the straight one.’

The two of them jumped up, and began to climb.
The first one went more quickly on the bendy one, while the straight one was rather slower.
But then they almost met at the top.
‘Well, that proves something,’ as they giggled.|

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

P.S. If you haven’t seen me saying something on your post, I believe it’s gone to spam. I won’t just leave a ‘like’.

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

17 October 2025

Margot and her 2CV

Chris Hall25 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

‘Gosh, this will be fun,’ grinned one of the boys.
‘Yes, we’re all going on an adventure.’
‘We have got everything we need,’ smiled Great Aunt Margot. ‘Now get into the back of my 2CV boys, we are going to the woods, since it’s autumn so we can get some mushrooms, and maybe some truffles.’
‘Truffles? What are those?’
Great Aunt Margot waved a hand as she continued to drive, and rather fast, ‘truffles are very good and very expensive, but we will see.’

The three of them tootled around in that little car for a bit, when suddenly Great Aunt Margot stopped, and then reversed, and stopped again. ‘Look boys, there’s eggs available. You can get out and ask,’ as she gave one of them some notes.

The two boys trotted over to the sign, and then into the little farm.
‘Is anyone here?’ shouted both of them.
For a moment it seemed that no-one was around, but just a little later, a very nice lady appeared.
‘Ah, that would be Madame Margot,’ the nice lady said. ‘Two dozen, I imagine,’ as she waved back.

Soon that was sorted, they were off again. ‘Time to find some mushrooms and do some truffle hunting,’ grinned Great Aunt Margot.

They walked around the woods, and all three of them had lovely mushrooms, although sadly they didn’t find any truffles this time.
But they did see something in the distance…
Yes, that’s right, a couple of unicorns – and yes, they are real.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.

A new gallery

Chris Hall37 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

The two boys were back in France, in a small town where Great Aunt Margot lives.
‘What’s the time?’ said one of them, as they both looked up to the big clock outside in the main square.
‘Okay, one more time to walk quickly around the great church – why not?’
‘Shall we do it?’
‘Yes, let’s go.’

Meanwhile, Great Aunt Margot had bought her usual things in the market: a long baguette, some very oozy cheeses and three little patisserie cakes, which she put in her big basket.
She then stopped next to the new gallery.
‘How is it going, my dear?’ said Great Aunt Margot.
A young woman smiled. ‘Anything you would like?’
‘Hmm, something small perhaps,’ as she stepped into the shop.

A couple of minutes later the two boys appeared.
‘What have you got?’ asked one of the boys.
‘Never mind about that, I will show you that back at home. But any way it’s almost lunchtime,’ as she grinned.

The three of them chatted happily, as they walked down to where they stayed, but no one would be able to find what they did after that.

And also in the small town, not far from the woods, you might still see a few unicorns, and their names are: Victor, Wellington, Xena, Yasmine and Zacharia.

So thanks for that Jenne and C .E. Aye, we’ve had a great time, and maybe we will see you around sometime.

So now I must find a new tale, but where?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.

It’s a lovely train!

Chris Hall37 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

It was another Sunday afternoon for the two boys.
‘It’s always nice to go on our bikes, isn’t it.’
‘Yes indeed, we are very lucky, especially now it’s a lovely day.’
‘Let’s go faster, and maybe we can see a train, since the tracks are not far from here.’
‘Gosh yes, we can go over the bridge just over there.’
And so the two boys rode off as fast as they could.

They came to a stop, and right in the middle of the bridge.
‘Can’t see a train either on the upline or downline at the moment.’
As they both looked (and twice).
‘Are there trains on Sunday?’
‘I’m sure there are… I think.’
They thought again, and looked again; but nothing.
‘Oh well, let’s ride as close as we can, since there’s a little road over there.’

So they continued for quite a long time, still looking for a train.
‘Gosh, we’re almost in another village, and I don’t know this place.’
‘Me neither, but look…’
‘Oh yes, it’s a level crossing and also a little train station.’
‘And now listen…’
‘They are closing the gates…’

The two boys grinned.
‘Quick, let’s get on the platform.’
‘Are we allowed?’
‘Yes, of course.’

The train stopped and people got out, and in.
The guard glanced over to the two boys and their bikes, and he said: ‘Do you want to go in the last carriage? And there’s no charge for you.’
‘Ooh, thanks a lot,’ as they both grinned.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.

Goal!

Chris Hall28 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

The two boys were playing football in the park. It was Sunday afternoon, and very sunny.
‘This is fun, isn’t it?
‘Very much so,’ as he dived and stopped the ball.
‘Shall we ask some of the other boys here in this park?’
‘Good idea, and I would like to be in goal.’
‘Fine. You’re pretty good, aren’t you?’
‘Aww, thanks,’ as he grinned.

A few minutes later, several boys appeared.
‘Now we have enough players to have a good game,’ as they decided who would do what.

It had been great at the start but then there was a problem, since the ball went too far and too high. It glided over to someone’s back garden.

They looked at each other. ‘What are we going to do now?’

Several of them peered over the high wall.
‘Hmm. Not easy, but doable, don’t you think?’
‘Well, it is my ball. I shall try.’
‘Both of us will do it.’
Then a couple of other boys helped them up.

Soon they were both sitting astride.
‘Okay, we can do this. Yes?’
‘Of course we can.’

So they jumped down. Grabbed the ball, and hurled it back to the park.
They could also get back themselves, since a handy shed was close enough to jump from that to the wall.
They managed to get away with that before anyone saw it.
It seemed that everyone else was watching the telly – either Wimbledon or Tour de France.

‘Shall we continue the game then?’

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.