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25.2.16

THE THOMPSON TWINS

THE THOMPSON TWINS

The Thompson twins shared everything from cradle to cricket bat, so when they joined up together to fight the Kaiser, their mother comforted herself by saying, “They’ll look after each other,”

Then James was shipped home, alone, minus an arm. After two weeks he tried to re-enlist, pleading, “William needs me,” but the army’s response was brutal. “You can’t fire a rifle one-handed.”
So James took his father’s motor-car, followed the golden thread of William’s need to the Somme, and dug him alive out of an abandoned trench.

They ran the farm for decades with only one pair of arms between them.


Al Forbes' photo of vintage cars sporting Remembrance poppies prompted my 100 word story this week. Thanks as always to Rochelle for hosting Friday Fictioneers. To read how other writers interpreted the photo go to her blog https://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/ - after leaving a comment on mine, naturally!

18.2.16

EVER-ROLLING STREAM - a 100-word story

EVER-ROLLING STREAM

The man’s complexion had paled to a dirty grey with pain when the small plane took off from Lusaka.
“All right back there?” the pilot called over the drone of the engine.
“The surgeon’s waiting in Johannesburg,” Doctor Luke replied, “Just get us there as quickly as possible.”
The lovely landscape flowed by smoothly – until a boiling column of cloud grew out of nowhere and lifted them thousands of terrfying feet before flinging them clear.
“That was close!” the pilot gasped, but then the plane dropped through an airless pocket, and cartwheeled down to crash in flames on the beautiful, deadly African ground.
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This photograph of a lovely sand-timer was taken by Sandra Crook, one of the writers who post a 100 word story each week for Friday Fictioneers, via Rochelle's blog  https://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/
The words from Isaac Watts' hymn came into my head - "Time, like an ever-rolling stream, bears all its sons away" and I remembered, as I often do, my mother's son, my baby brother Luke. This happened 30 years ago.
Here is a link to read the entire hymn: - http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/hymn-lyrics/o_god_our_help_in_ages_past.htm

10.2.16

FASTNACHT - a 100 word tribute

FASTNACHT

“But Papa - you promised we’d go to the carnival!”
“I must deliver these bulbs,” Otto said, “I’ll be back by ten to take you.”
 Balancing his boxes carefully, Otto boarded the early train, grateful that the festival meant there were plenty of empty seats. The speed-streaked countryside had lulled him into a doze when, in one appalling, cacophonous instant, the carriage folded in on itself and crushed the life out of him.
 All Otto’s bulbs rolled from the wreck, and the following February a scattering of bright flowers paid tribute to the dozen victims of a jammed signal.

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The photographic prompt was taken by The Reclining Gentleman - one of the Friday Fictioneers whose stories you can read by following the links from Rochelle's blog.  https://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/
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For those readers who do not hear European news, the German word fastnacht refers to Shrove Tuesday - Mardi Gras - Pancake Day. This year's holiday was marred by a dreadful tragedy in Germany when two commuter trains collided head-on. One mercy was that the school-children who would normally have been on the train were at home for the holiday.
Image result for german train crash 2016 free images


4.2.16

SALT - a story in 100 words

SALT

Ellie was fifteen, and cursed with braces, the year her parents bought the lake-side cottage.
When summer covered the acre of lilies with flowers, Ellie loved to lie on the wooden jetty, stroking their creamy velvet with gentle fingers, but her brother mocked, “You’ll have a long wait – not even a frog would kiss you.”

Ellie didn’t reply but, as her tears dripped salt between the lily-pads, a handsome boy surfaced to press his cool lips to her warm ones. “No tears are allowed where I live,” he smiled, and Ellie slid silently into the lake to join him.
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I don't normally write fairy stories, but I couldn't get frogs out of my mind!
Thanks to Erin Leary for the photograph that appeared on Rochelle's blog  https://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/ to prompt my story - and those of scores of other writers in Friday Fictioneers. Go to Rochelle's blog to find them.