FIRE!

Yesterday, with my back door open, I smelled smoke. From my garden I saw smoke coming from my neighbour's upstairs window. Banged on the door, no answer, so I called 999.

The firefighters arrived just in time to save his dog.

It reminded me of ten years ago, when my daughter's apartment burned due to a candle and a wafting curtain. A whole month it took us to erase the stink.

A salutory lesson never to leave a naked flame burning, and keep your insurance up to date!

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And my poor neighbour! His windows are no longer blackened - the glass has all been replaced by boards, and he can't even clean up until the insurance assessors have been. His dog survived by a whisker - scorched but alive.

SPADE

 

SPADE

I left her taking her muddy trainers off while I put the allotment tools in the car, dropping my guard for one minute, but it was enough.

She screamed as he bundled her into his van. By the time I’d got my car started they’d vanished. But she’d told me about the hut on the moor – and what he’d done there.

I sped through back roads, hid my car, and when he reached into the van to drag her out I hit him with the spade. Hard.

The hut’s just a heap of charred embers now. So is he.

I bought a new spade.

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Any mother would do the same, wouldn't she? Thanks to Ronda del Boccio for this week's image. To read other interpretations of the prompt, follow the frog link from https://rochellewisoff.com/

While I have your attention, please take a look at my latest publication - a 'slim volume of verse', as we poets say! In other words, a small book of poems, selected from a lot more written over a loooong lifetime.

FOOTPRINTS: Amazon.co.uk: Young, Liz: 9798328843089: Books

LIBRARY

 

LIBRARY

I wish I was better at marketing

my books, 'cos they’re really quite good,

but I plucked up the courage to ask

at the library in my neighbourhood –

I donated a copy of two of my best,

which are now on display on a shelf –

‘New books by A Local Author’ –

I’m inordinately proud of myself!

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Six years ago I was brave enough to take a stall at an Authors' Fair, which entailed lots of preparation and minimal sales - not an experience I have repeated!

Dale's image of a roadside library reminded me of Covid lockdown, when I put a box of books in the village bus shelter and an invitation on Facebook for people to help themselves. Any one who was afraid of contamination could stay clear. Others donated too and itt grew exponentially - in fact it became a chore to keep tidy - but for that year (when was it? - I forget) a lot of people were grateful for their reading matter. 

Must dash - it's my granddaughter's school sports day and I have to go and cheer.

TRAINING

 

TRAINING

They trained the orcas intensively in their secret location, then sent them off with attached cameras to spy on the enemy fleet.

 

The gamble paid off – every whale returned to their beloved trainer Edwin. The management took the cameras to be recharged, but Edwin overheard them talking over late-night drinks. ‘Kamikaze whales’ they dubbed them, laughing.

 

Edwin amended the training sessions and surreptitiously replaced the glue with his own concoction. Next time the orcas left, they scraped their backs under the jetty before departing.

 

Two days later the scientists stood on the jetty and pressed the control button.

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Perhaps it's the lighting, but they look like orcas peering over a jetty to me! Thanks to Lisa Fox for the image, which also reminds me of warm evenings in Tenerife. To read what other writers 'saw' in her image, go to https://rochellewisoff.com/  and follow the Frog trail.

ICE

 

ICE

‘Let’s go camping,’ he said.

‘In winter?’

‘Warm sleeping bags, a fire under the stars, it’ll be romantic.’

It was easier to agree – he always got his own way eventually.

.... 

I woke to the sound of a growl and shook him awake. ‘Bears!’

He peered through the flap. ‘Can’t see anything.’

‘There it is again – I’m scared.’

He went out, determined to prove this mere female wrong, and slipped on the ice.

As the huge mouth closed around his body I ran for the car.

 ....

True as I’m stood here.

'In a jail cell?'

Unfortunately the cops don’t believe me.

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Thanks as ever to Rochelle for running Friday Fictioneers, and to Roger Bultot for the photographic prompt. I've revived an old story for this week as I missed last week's FF, but I'm busy compiling a poetry book and subbing a novel, and my brain can't cope with too much at once these days!

TERRANIUM

 

TERRANIUM

They sat together in silence,

reading by lantern light,

oblivious to cicadas

and traffic noise alike,

as if they were enclosed

by a terranium of peace,

until her phone buzzed –

their hour was over.

 

She stood up,

closing her book.

‘Same time tomorrow?’

He nodded, smiling.

‘Wouldn’t miss it for the world.’

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A cheeky one this time, combining three different prompts - this photo taken by Dale Rogerson (thanks, Dale) and twoTwitter prompts by @FromOneLine and @vss365. I hope you like the combination!

To read other interpretations on Friday Fictioneers, go to https://rochellewisoff.com/ and follow the Frog.

I've been sidetracked these past few weeks by other writing, of flash fiction and poetry - more about that when I'm ready to let it go public.

POOH BEAR

 

POOH BEAR

 Pooh was different – he was special –

he wasn’t yellow, he was red;

born one Christmas in a stocking

on the end of John’s small bed.

 He and John were never parted,

everywhere together travelled,

till one day with all that loving

Pooh’s red tummy came unravelled.

 ‘Oh!’ said Pooh Bear, ‘All my stuffing’s

coming out!’ ‘Don’t fret’ said Mum,

‘Here’s a bit of good strong sort of

stripey fabric for your tum.’

 So she set to work and made his

tum and back and legs like new;

Pooh and John could go on playing -

that was all that bothered Pooh.

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Anyone who knows and loves A.A.Milne's writing will realise why I chose this Pooh Bear poem today. It's taken from a book of poems I wrote for my children about their special toys, and the story of John's Pooh Bear is true.

In fact, years later, I was asked to re-cover Pooh completely so that he would be hygienic enough for John's own son!

If you would like to read the book, it's on Amazon - STRIPEY CAT and Other Poems.

Thanks as ever to Rochelle, our never-failing hostess, and to Fleur Lind for this week's image, which took me straight to the Ashdown Forest in Sussex, UK, and to the tree in which lived the owl known to Christopher Robin as Wol.