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28.3.14

PUDDLE - Friday Fiction


PUDDLE

I don’t like the woods cos they’re dark and scary, but Mummy wanted to pick mushrooms. She said I could wear my new boots but I mustn’t get dirty or the bogeyman would get me.
The trees were waving their arms and I held Mummy’s hand, but then I saw a big puddle so I ran and jumped.
It made a huge muddy splash and Mummy yelled, “No!” so I stopped and turned round, but she’d disappeared and I couldn’t find her.
The bogeyman got her cos I jumped in that puddle - I’m really sorry.
I want Mummy back.

This story is my 100 word response to the photograph prompt provided by Rochelle on her blog:
http://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/

Friday fictioneers is an online group of writers - you can read the other stories by following the link on Rochelle's Blog.




24.3.14

BETTY'S BIRTHDAY

Betty is 70 today!  
She was born in Australia, and came to live with me when I was born. She travelled all the way to England in 1946 - on an unconverted troop ship that took six weeks to get there via the Suez Canal.
Fourteen years ago she moved to Tenerife, where she sits in my bedroom waiting to offer comfort when needed. She's a very loyal friend, and I love her dearly.
Happy Birthday Betty.


Oh yes - and my two daughters are here to help us celebrate!

 ps. if you would like to read the poem I wrote for Betty, go to my Toy Poems page.

19.3.14

HAREM - Friday Fictioneers

HAREM

She was elegantly dressed and her emeralds were real, as were the tears washing her cheeks. Maryse paused by the ascenseur, shifted the towels to one arm and touched the thin hand.
“May I help you, Madame?”
The woman drew a calming breath. “How old are you, child?”
“Sixteen, Madame.”
“At sixteen I was imprisoned behind a screen of this design.” She gestured at the metal grille. “For a moment just now I was back in the harem.”
“How did you escape?”
“My babies were girls, so my husband sold me to a merchant.” She smiled. “Our sons still run the business.”
                       .................................................................

Please leave a comment - preferably a kind one! - and do feel free to browse the rest of my blog.
                       ..................................................................
Friday Fictioneers is a group of writers who write 100-word stories prompted by a photograph posted each week on Rochelle’s site
You can read all the other stories – free! – by following the link.
  http://new.inlinkz.com/luwpview.php?id=380417

14.3.14

EEL ISLAND - Friday Fictioneers


EEL  ISLAND

“Mum – who was Jake?”

The bridge had stretched its challenge across the marsh since we arrived. Old Sam’s stories only added to the island’s allure. “It claimed one death for every post driven,” he said, “Why d’you think it’s so clean? Nobody’s crossed since Billy Cabra went hunting eels.”
“What happened?” I asked.
“Dunno – he never came back.”
“So he could still be there?”
“It was nine years ago, girl.”
“Alligators?” Jake guessed, all cocky.
Sam spat. “This isn't America, Yankee-boy – trolls took him.”
Jake matched Sam’s spit. “English fairy stories – I’m going.”

“Jake was my big, brave, stupid brother.”
                                            ............................................

Friday Fictioneers is an online group of writers who use a photo prompt on Rochelle's blog  http://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/  to inspire a story in only 100 words.
To read the other stories this week follow the link  http://new.inlinkz.com/luwpview.php?id=376163

6.3.14

BUCKET LIST

Friday Fictioneers is an online group of writers who use a photo prompt to inspire 100-word stories each week. The leader and prompter of this group is Rochelle - see her blog and follow the link to read the other stories.
http://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/
This week's photograph reminds me of our own Mount Teide in Tenerife, hence my story this week. I hope you enjoy it, and do please leave a comment so that I know you've visited!


BUCKET LIST

James and Sarah drove up to the mountain picnic area where their children had already lit the barbecue. Lucy popped champagne and they all raised their glasses.
“Dad and Mum – forty years together,” Lucy said, but couldn’t resist adding, “Why not a cruise?”
“Not on our bucket list,” James said, grabbed Sarah’s hand, and ran into the forest.

They only returned when the steaks were ready.
“Where have you been?” Lucy demanded.
“We’re six thousand feet above sea level here,” Sarah said, kissing James in front of everyone. “It was on our bucket list to join the Mile High Club.”



2.3.14

CARNAVAL or HOSPITAL?

This is the official poster for Tenerife's Carnaval 2014. The theme is Animation, and the costumes are as fantastic as ever - there is a woman in there somewhere, though how she carries all that weight is a mystery.


Last night - Saturday 1st March - was the first night of the festivities, and the crowds numbered in the thousands.
So perhaps it's not surprising that the first report I read in the local paper this morning was about the number of people who needed treatment in the temporary tented Hospital de Carnaval organised by the Cabildo and Cruz Roja.

The statistics were: 84 adults and 8 children treated.
40 due to alcoholic intoxication: 6 due to 'stupefying substances' - don't you just love that euphemism! :5 'ordinary illnesses: 7 'traumatic injuries': 5 falls: 11 injuries caused by aggression: 9 due to other causes.
Of these only 9 ended up in the standard hospital, so the temporary one is obviously doing a grand job.

Oh yes - and to end on a positive note - there were no arrests. When half of the very macho Tinerfeno men are dressed like this, the police were probably too bemused to arrest anyone!