Over the Falls – Sunday Photo Fiction!

Today I am once again writing for the Sunday Photo Fiction challenge. My story is to be about 200 words. The story should incorporate the photo prompt given. And, here is the photo and my tale…

Niagara Falls – Photo by Joe Owens

It was my first time to Niagara Falls. It was as spectacular as they said it would be. The sound was almost deafening, and the spray of the water on all of us was comparable to standing in a fog.

I stood back from the crowd when I took this photo. As I watched the water cascading down a voice in the crowd shouted, “Look! Look over there at the top of the falls.”

Noting where the woman was pointing I looked at the upper right of the falls just in time to see a rubber lifeboat begin to drop! From the boat, a person launched out into the air. A parachute opened, and the updraft from the movement of air off the falls, lifted the person up, and up! I heard a lot of ooh’s and aah’s from the crowd.

Watching the person, drift up and up, I noticed them circling, and they finally started to descend towards the crowd. The person landed into the crowd knocking people over.

David Munday topped his successful attempt back in 1993. He makes the record books again today by being the only person to parachute over the falls from a boat!

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Thank you goes out to Joe for the amazing photo that inspired my bit of flash! And, thank you to you dear reader for taking the time to stop by today to visit and read! Be well… ^..^

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Maggie Burton – Sunday Photo Fiction

Today I am once again writing for the Sunday Photo Fiction challenge. My story is to be about 200 words. The story should incorporate the photo prompt given. And, here is my tale…

The House on the Point – Photo by Joe Owens

Maggie Burton was the victim of unusual paranormal events. No matter where she lived or went, paranormal activity was always with her. She had been grabbed, poked and pinched so many times that it no longer scared her.

Making changes in her life, she bought a most unusual house located on the point at Monte Verde. The paranormal activity continued. She was hoping that one day it would stop. She went about remodeling the home and discovered a hidden room. It contained just a desk with a chair. The dust was thick. Looking inside the desk, she found a diary.

Taking the diary into the kitchen, she made herself a cup of tea and sat down to read. Opening the book, she noted that the writing was elegant. Time ticked on as she read page after page, her tea went cold, the light faded. Looking up at the clock, she realized that hours had passed.

Turning on the lights, she returned to her reading. Reaching the last page of the diary, as she read the final words, the cupboards in the kitchen blew open and the faucet came on full blast. The last words were, “My Life by Maggie Burton.”

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Thank you to Joe Owens for hosting Sunday Photo Fiction, and for the photo that inspired this bit of flash fiction!  Thank you dear reader for taking the time to stop by today!  May you have an amazing day, and be well…   ^..^

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Daily Sayings – Sunday Photo Fiction

Hello world! Today I am writing once again for Sunday Photo Fiction, which is now being hosted by Joe Owens! The task is to write a short story using about 200 words that goes with the photo prompt. Here is my story!

Share an Idea – Photo by Joe Owens

Joe had worked at the mini-mart for years. His task at the mart was to stock the shelves. However, today he got a promotion. He began training on the cash register, and he was taking over the job of writing the saying of the day on the sign outside.

Tina handled the task of the daily sayings for years. She had announced her retirement. Heading home, he was happy to tell his family about the promotion.

“Did Tina tell you how she came up with her daily sayings?” asked his mother.

“No, not really,” replied Joe.

“What are the criteria for these sayings?”

Thinking to himself for a bit, he answered, “I really don’t know.”

“You need to have a new sign for tomorrow, right?”

“Yes,” he replied.

“Do you have any ideas?”

“Nope, not a one,”

“So, then how can you possibly do this job if you have nothing to share?”

“Mom, I really need to think about this! Can we change the subject, pa-leeezze!”

The rest of the evening with his family was quiet. Heading to bed Joe thought about what he was going to do the next day when it came to him.

“Share an idea.”

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Thank you Joe for hosting and for the photo that inspired this bit of flash. Thanks to you dear reader for stopping by today! Have a spectacular Sunday! Be well! ^..^

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The Ranch House – Sunday Photo Fiction!

I am taking part today in Sunday Photo Fiction, now hosted by Joe Owens! Welcome, Joe, to this flash fiction challenge! This challenge is for the writer to create a story using the photo prompt, and a word count of about 200 words. Please click on the photo to enlarge it so that you can see the details, which my story is based upon!

The Ranch House – Photo by Joe Owens

They bought an old ranch house and acreage a couple of months ago and were very excited about the property. Mary would have ample land to set up her vegetable and rose garden. Dick would be able to have his horses. The dogs, Brutus and Mango, would have room to run!

Having just moved in, Mary began to notice something odd. Doors were open that she had closed; items were moved; faucets turned on by themselves; and she was seeing a cat, yet they had no cat.

One day, she had a visitor, a neighbor named Constance. She said she lived nearby. Mary invited her in, offering coffee. The two women sat at the kitchen table getting to know one another. After about an hour, Constance left.

Mary headed to the back of the house to inspect boxes left by the previous owner. She wanted to see what they contained. Discovering an old photo album, she leafed through the album. Then, a photo of a woman caught her eye. The dress was Victorian; and the face familiar. Putting her glasses on, she looked at the photo again. Her mouth dropped open when she realized that the woman was Constance!

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Thank you Joe for hosting this challenge, and to you too dear reader, for taking the time to stop by to read my bit of flash! Have a spectacular Sunday! Be well…. ^..^

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One Hundred – Sunday Photo Fiction

One Hundred – Photo by Alastair Forbes

He sat at his desk, viewing image after image trying to pick just the right one. After reviewing all the photos in the folder entitled “For possible use,” he thought to himself that none of them fit the bill.

Finding just the right photo that would spark the imagination was not an easy task. Going back to his file of photos, he zipped through a number of them. One by one, they flew by on the computer screen. Finally, he found the one!

It was a photo of a lighthouse with a huge wave crashing over it. He had taken this photo in Seaham, Durham County. He could just picture in his mind the stories folks would come up with to go with this photo. There would be stories of love, life, death, murder, war, aliens, animals, birth, friendships, conspiracies and destruction.

It was perfect! With the photo chosen, he went to work on his WordPress blog. Adding a new post, he wrote, announcing that this was his 100th post of his writing challenge. He was turning the reins over to his long time friend Joe.

Little did Al know that he would shortly become the UK’s number one best-selling author!

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Each week over the last two years, Alastair Forbes has tirelessly hosted Sunday Photo Fiction! Thank you Al for this inspiring writing challenge, and for becoming such a good friend! Al is turning over the reins to his friend Joe Owens so that he has ample time to finish the two books he is working on. I wish you the best Al, and may this ending of today’s story come true for you!

Thank you dear reader for stopping by on this lovely Sunday! Be well! ^..^

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Immortalized – Sunday Photo Fiction

This is my entry into Alastair Forbes’ flash fiction challenge Sunday Photo Fiction. The challenge is to write a story to go with the photo using about 200 words. Here is the photo prompt and my story!

Immortalized – Photo by Alastair Forbes

Commissioned by Prince Albert, her husband was to create a statue of historical figure Boudicca. This was to be his greatest work ever. Excited about the task in front of him, Thomas asked his wife and two daughters to assist him. They would be his models.

He began by creating drawings of his project. It took several days to finalize his idea and he had many sketches of what he was going to create. Compiling a list of materials, he made the necessary purchases using money given to him by the Prince.

One of those items was plaster of Paris. Having his wife sit for him, he mixed up the plaster and then began to apply it to her face. He used straws in her nose so that she could breathe. He pulled the mask off her face after the material set. Then he went on to do the same with his two daughters.

After years, with his project finished, they held the unveiling. Prince Albert was delighted with the finished statue. Little did anyone know that the faces of his beloved wife and daughters would look out onto the world in Parliament Square for many ages to come!

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Thank you goes out to Al for hosting this challenge, and to you, dear reader, for dropping by to visit! Have a spectacular Sunday, and be well! ^..^

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The Life of a Pirate – Sunday Photo Fiction

This is my entry into Alastair Forbes’ flash fiction challenge Sunday Photo Fiction. The challenge is to write a story to go with the photo using about 200 words…Here is my story…

The Life of a Pirate – Photo by Alastair Forbes

As a boy of thirteen, having come from a poor family, Hector Barbossa ran away from home wanting a life at sea. He knew that he could do well for himself. He got a job on the Providence. He learned quickly moving from being a privateer to first mate. While at sea, he learned about pirates, which they continually had to evade.

Of these, there were many. Hector took note that the job of a pirate involved less work and was more lucrative. And, when the opportunity presented itself, with Providence overtaken by a pirate ship, he turned to the other side.

After many years of being first mate to the Captain, he decided he wanted more. He wanted to be the Captain. In the captain’s quarters one night, carousing and drinking massive quantities of rum, the Captain’s tongue loosened, giving up the location of the Chest of Cortez on the Isle de Muerta.

Barbossa led the mutiny and turned the ship to the Isle de Muerta. Little did he know that the gold was cursed leaving him and the crew undead. Standing in the window of the saloon at Dead Man’s Cove, he swore that he would get back at Captain Jack Sparrow.

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Thank you Al for the inspiring photo that led me to write this story! Thank you dear reader for stopping by! I hope that you enjoyed my bit of flash!

Have a super Sunday! Be well…. ^..^

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The Day My World Changed – Sunday Photo Fiction

I am taking part today in Alastair Forbes’ flash fiction challenge: Sunday Photo Fiction. The challenge is to write a story that goes along with the photo using about 200 words. Here is my story!

Hooked on Books – Photo by Alastair Forbes

In my younger days, I would drop my sister off at her ballet school, and then head on over to one of my favorite places: Hooked on Books. I swear, I could spend hours there, sitting on the floor, with a book in my lap. I found comfort in books and loved their unique aroma.

One day, my world changed as I sat there quietly on the floor reading. So wrapped up was I, that I failed to notice the young man standing beside me. As I shifted my position, I accidently bumped into him.

Embarrassed that I had not noticed him, I jumped up, spilling my book to the floor. I could feel the heat rising in my face. He grabbed my arm to steady me. I looked up into the deep green pools that were his eyes. They sparkled as they looked into mine.

“You seem to have dropped your book,” he said as he bent down to pick it up. Handing it back to me, he said, “Do you come here often?”

“Yes,” I stammered.

“And, you are?” he asked.

“Elizabeth Bennet,” I replied.

“It is nice to meet you Elizabeth. My name is Darcy, James Darcy.”

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Thanks for stopping by for a quick read today! I hope that you enjoyed my bit of flash fiction! Have a spectacular Sunday and be well! ^..^

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She Watches Over Us – Sunday Photo Fiction

Today, I am taking part in Alastair Forbes’ flash fiction challenge: Sunday Photo Fiction! The challenge is to write a story to go with the photo that uses about 200 words. I hope that you enjoy my bit of flash!

She Watches Over Us – Photo by Alastair Forbes

Music drifted in from outside indicating the celebration had begun. Aromas of food that had cooked all day filled the air and Arama’s stomach growled. She was finally old enough to join in the celebration, and she would hold the place of honor. She had to remain where she was until they called for her. She paced.

The elder Mateo came in, handed her a steaming cup, and told her to drink it down. It was sweet yet salty. “We will go shortly,” he said.

Her head started to feel woozy. Her vision sharpened and she could see a blue halo surrounding Mateo. She heard her name. Mateo moved towards her and with his hand on her elbow, he guided her outside.

The crowd opened up revealing an alter. “Lie down,” said Mateo. She obeyed. They covered her and chanting began. She felt a tingling throughout her body. The chanting got louder and louder, and reaching a crescendo abruptly stopped.

Mateo walked to the alter and removed the drape. There in place of Arama was a rose quartz angel. Removing the angel, he placed it in an alcove, where she would watch over the people for the next 100 years.

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I hope that you enjoyed my bit of flash!  Thank you for dropping on by today!  May this Sunday be a special day for you!  Be well!      ^..^

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New Year’s Eve – Sunday Photo Fiction

Today, I am taking part in Alastair Forbes’ flash fiction challenge: Sunday Photo Fiction! The challenge is to write a story to go with the photo that uses about 200 words. My word count today is 199! I hope that you enjoy my bit of flash!

New Year’s Eve – Photo by Alastair Forbes

She was celebrating the New Year with her friends in Times Square. Clusters of people surrounded she and her friends. Everyone was laughing, smiling and waiting for the famous ball to drop. Time ticked by…

Just before midnight, someone handed her a drink. Voices began to count, “Five, four, three, two…Happy New Year!” Along with everyone else, she downed her drink.

She suddenly felt strange. Her body felt very heavy. Looking up at the fireworks display her vision blurred. She dropped to the ground feeling hands grabbing at her as she was dragged off by her armpits. She watched as her feet bumped along the ground. Her tongue was thick, and she found she could not speak, though she did try.

She looked up to see the face of who was pulling her along, but he was looking behind him. She then felt hands grab her feet. Lifted into a van, she watched the door slide shut. She blacked out.

She awoke sitting in a chair, hands and feet bound, a gag covering her mouth. A TV flickered in front of her. She watched as the news reporter spoke of a kidnapping. Her eyes widened when her photo appeared.

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Thank you Al for hosting this challenge and for the inspiring photo!  I hope that you, dear reader, have enjoyed my bit of flash!  Have a spectacular Sunday!  Be well!      ^..^

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