Category: Short story

Where has the water gone?

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The tap was silent except for a few drops of water. Frantically she ran outside to check if the water tap with the direct connection had water. That tap was dry too.

In frustration, she sat down and shed a few angry tears. When people were told not to waste water by washing their cars, or watering their lawn no one listened. Now the well’s gone dry and children are thirsty for freshwater.

Resignedly, she picked up an earthen pot and started for the next village. They had a tube-well and perhaps she’ll get some drinking water from there.

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Word count; 99

May 23, 2022, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story using the phrase “well’s gone dry.” Is it a real well or a metaphorical well? Why is it dry? What is the consequence and to whom? Go where the prompt leads!

Written for Carrot Ranch’s prompt- Well’s gone dry, hosted by Charli Mills

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#99WordStory

Following the clues

The photograph is from lauramusikanski @ Morguefile.

(For the visually challenged writer, the photo is of a sculpture showing the hands, shoulders, and head of a woman with a frightened expression on her face. Her hair grows straight above her head like the trunk of a tree and branches out with small, humanoids emerging from the blossoms on the branches.)

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Steven was weary from constantly searching for the clue, and he thought maybe his eyes were playing tricks on him when he saw it!

The statue that was supposed to mark the site. A woman’s head, with branches coming out of it like Medusa’s head. But instead of snakes it had human figurines carved onto them.

Excitedly he approached the place. The statue was resting on a wooden bench. He looked closely and directly underneath was a small square plaque.

Taking a screwdriver from his back pocket, he loosened the metal lid, and inside was a flash drive hidden very cleverly. The flash drive had all the data to bust the drug trafficking ring.

Steven grabbed the flash drive and went straight to his office, where he uploaded the data to the site. Soon police were on the trail of the criminals.

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Written for FFFC # 170, hosted by Fandango

Also included, FSS # 47, hosted by Fandango

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WDYS # 134 -A Roundup post

Like a jigsaw puzzle 
My self is made up of
Many tiny little pieces 
Which fit imperfectly 
Some days, one aspect is prominent 
At at other, another overtakes the main role
The good, the bad at war with each other 
Each vying for dominance

Fantastic response again this week in response to this image. Please click on the links to read the contributions of our lovely participants.

Chris Hall; Broken reflections

Punam; Reflections

Michnavs; Unannounced

Radhika; Who am I?

Reena; Breaking mirrors

David; Shadow or Sunlight

Jim; In a dark place

Melanie; WDYS # 134- Broken

Grace; Buried

Susi; What is seen

Isadora; Remember and return to me

Di; A Shar’d life

Cindy; In comments

Christine; What do you see # 134

Sangeetha; Heartbeat

Kittyverses; Then and now

Usha; Image

Suzette; Doppelgängers

Lakshmi; Everyday moments

Ken; A shattered piece of me

Maria; And now I am broken

Fandango; The wreckage

Eugenia; Inner nudge

The inkdrop; Reflections

Ami; I’m not a man

Maya; Shattered

Pamelap; Seeing memories

KL Caley; Gaining control

Goutam; Broken

Yinglan; The reflections in the mirror

Sandy; Fractured

Nope, not Pam; Troubled emotions

Mayuri; Glass and the closet of fear

Jules; Auntie Gertie

E M Kingston; Fractured view

Aboli; Past

Lighsfairy; Broken ; mirror or me?

Jude; Alone not lonely

Indira; Reena’s Xploration Challenge

I am grateful to all those who have read, shared and commented on these posts.

I will be posting next week’s challenge on Monday at 12:00 pm, PKT.

Thanks for reading.

#Keepitalive

#Whatdoyousee

#WDYS

Working relationship- Short story

The photograph below is from abi ismail at unsplash.com.

(For the visually challenged writer, the photo is of a man and a woman sitting next to each other at a counter inside a coffee shop. He’s engrossed with something on his smartphone and she is working on her Apple laptop computer.)

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I was having dinner with a few of my closest friends when I suddenly realized that I had asked my colleague, Jane to meet me at the café for a work meeting. How embarrassing for me not to show up after asking to meet her to discuss a few problems we were facing in the office.

Hastily, I told my friends that I had to go and left to join Jane in the café. Luckily it was nearby and she didn’t had to wait long for me. The work meeting went well as we sorted out the issues at the office. But I sensed a coldness in her demeanor. She was distant and wouldn’t even make eye contact with me.

Hesitantly, I asked if anything was amiss. She looked at me and said that she was made to wait half an hour before I showed up and she thought it was very discourteous of me. I explained that it was my fault because I had forgotten that I had arranged to meet her and was having dinner with friends.

“I’m glad we talked this out”, she said as she smiled at me. “ Very often misunderstandings can ruin work relationships and I want a pleasant work-environment at the office”

We agreed on this point and had a coffee to celebrate the amicable resolution of the situation.

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Written for FFFC # 169, hosted by Fandango

Also included; FSS # 46, hosted by Fandango

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WDYS # 133- A Roundup post

Standing at the edge of the precipice

Looking up I see the wonders of creation

Looking down it’s dark and destruction

My perspective matters

Should I look up or down?

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Amazing response again this week in response to this image. Please click on the links to read the contributions of our lovely participants.

Reena; April lyrids

Tanya; Lament of a tree

Michnavs; Answer

Chris Hall; The lightning tree

Sangeetha; Stars

Punam; The tree’s threnody

Keith; Meet Mazie

Melanie; Gnarly tree

Mayuri; The tree wishes for infidel love

Eugenia; Splendid celebration

Sandy; Endless journey

Diana; Gnarly

Susi; Another year

Jim; Meteor showers

Grace; A new world

David; Up towards the vortex

Di; What do you see # 133

Jules; Selfless selfie

Ami; Star-shine

Radhika; Tanka- Elegy

Suzette; Namib

Lady sighs; From my window

Ken; The great tree

Komaljeet; A Lost love

Yinglan; The story of us

Fandango; Stars and the clouds

Usha; Standing tall

Pamelap; Spiral season

Inkdrop; A race in space

Goutam; Spectacle

Sri; Trees and stars

Nope, not Pam; Fitting conclusion

Maria; I, a tree

Maya; The withered tree

I am grateful to all those who have read, shared and commented on these posts.

I will be posting next week’s challenge on Monday at 12:00 pm, PKT.

Thanks for reading.

#Keepitalive

#Whatdoyousee

#WDYS

A slice of paradise

Open – Image by KL Caley

For visually challenged writers, the image shows an entranceway in amongst some stone walls to a bright green garden.

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Peeking through that open space I felt a great temptation to cross into that brightly lit space, inviting like a slice of paradise.

The green grass, blooming trees with white blossoms aplenty, and patches of cooling shade, were beckoning me to come hither.

It was private property, and there was a sign saying, ‘ No Trespassing’ boldly displayed on the side of that open doorway.

Yet…….

I couldn’t suppress my desire to experience the beauty and I hesitantly stepped inside.

All hell broke loose as two ferocious Doberman dogs came at me full speed. With a speed I didn’t knew I possessed, I made a quick exit from that garden and vowed never to enter any place which specifically forbade people to do so!

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Written in response to WritePhoto # open, hosted by KL Caley

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An unusual tea-party

Mindy looked up accidentally and kept on staring at the tree.

A teapot and a couple of teacups were hanging from the branches near the tree trunk. She was intrigued. Who could have done that? She kept on thinking for an answer but none presented itself to her.

She decided to take a closer look. Tree climbing was one of her natural talents and in a little while, she reached the hanging crockery. As she reached to touch the teapot, an invisible hand slapped her hand away. Mindy was shocked.

What do you think you’re doing, touching our things? Came a voice from behind her.

Mindy looked but couldn’t see anyone. Who are you and why can’t I see you? She asked.

We are the tree fairies and humans can’t see us. Why are you intruding on our tea party?

Oh, I am sorry, Mindy apologized with the ready acceptance of a child. Can I join your party?

Since you’re a child with a vivid imagination, we’ll allow you to join us just this time. But you have to keep it a secret from grownups.

Mindy scrambled down the tree to get her own teacup.

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Written for CCC # 183, hosted by Crispina Kemp

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Burned

The ashes were blown into the swirling gust of wind like confetti.

She stood back satisfied with her handiwork.

Now no one could tell what she had written in those love letters.

The betrayal had torn her heart apart and it hadn’t healed even after all those years, but today burning those letters written long ago brought her something she had been seeking.

Now she felt cleansed like all that guilt and sorrow had been washed off of her soul.

Now she could start living again!

Written for Six Sentences Story- Confetti, hosted by Girlie on the edge’s blog- Denise

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WDYS # 132 -A Roundup post

Young hearts dream big dreams 
I too have high expectations 
Can you see the determination in my eyes
There is iron resolve in my heart
One day I too will climb the ladder of success 
One day you will know my name

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Fantastic response again this week in response to this image. Please click on the links to read the contributions of our lovely participants.

Reena; Keep moving

David; One bad turn or another

Punam; Unreal dream

Radhika; That evening

Jane; Wine

Keith; Fiddlesticks

Chris Hall; Different worlds

Di; From afar

Michnavs; Air

The novel reader; What do you see # 132

Christine; What do you see # 132

Diana; Anxiety

Susi; Staged

Jim; Pondering his future

Grace; Doubtful thoughts

Sandy; Redemption

Eugenia; Onward and upward

Pamelap ; Trusted

Melanie; WDYS # 132

Maya; Conquer your fears

Komaljeet; South calls under harassment

Yinglan; It’s going to be okay

Jules; Trying to look beyond the gray

Ken; Can you see me?

Kunjal; Eyes on us

Suzette; Irony

Kritika; Explanation

Indira; What do you see # 132

Nope, not Pam; Escapee

Fandango; Behind bars

EM Kingston; Control the narrative

Quaranjavirus; Moving on

Sydney; What do you see # 132

I am grateful to all those who have read, shared and commented on these posts.

I will be posting next week’s challenge on Monday at 12:00 pm, PKT.

Thanks for reading.

#Keepitalive

#Whatdoyousee

#WDYS

WDYS # 131 -A Roundup post

Open a book 
Read a story 
Share it with someone 
Experience the wonder 
Together

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Great response again this week in response to this image. Please click on the links to read the contributions of our lovely participants.

Chris Hall; Summoning the sun

Michnavs; Mikaela

David; Before or After

Reena; How I wish

Keith; What I saw

Punam; Wake up

Mason;Pages of magic

Ami; My dear sister

The novel reader; What do you see # 131

Isadora; Sisters forever

Di; Sisters

Grace; Story telling

Jim; identical cousins

Tessa; What do you see # 131

Susi; Forever bonded

Sandy; An epiphany

Suzette; The promise

Fandango; Sister-friends

Goutam; Beginnings and endings

Jules; Imagining images

Nope, not Pam; Bookended

Indira; What do you see # 131

Ivor; In the comments

Lady Lee Manila; Z for Zanila rhyme

Diana; Sisters

Jane; Phonics

I am grateful to all those who have read, shared and commented on these posts.

I will be posting next week’s challenge on Monday at 12:00 pm, PKT.

Thanks for reading.

#Keepitalive

#Whatdoyousee

#WDYS