NUTS! a story in one hundred words.

NUTS!

Moira crept round the shops, hiding her bruises behind her hair. Derek had ordered macadamia nut ice-cream – where on earth did he imagine she’d find that?

After an increasingly frantic search she tracked some down in the deli, and finished her shopping. At home she added a few more nuts and made a curry – he liked it hot enough to sear his taste-buds.

When Derek collapsed, gasping for his Epipen, Moira slipped along the back lane to throw the tub in a skip before calling an ambulance.

It arrived far too late, of course, but that was hardly her fault.

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It's taken me 24 hours to think of a story for this domestic image taken by Na'ama Yehuda, so I hope you think it's up to scratch! If you would like to read how other writers interpreted it, follow the Frog link from Rochelle's blog https://rochellewisoff.com/

GREENHOUSE - a story in 100 words

GREENHOUSE

Zena dressed the children carefully – trousers, long-sleeved shirts, wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses, Factor 100 on exposed skin.

“Are we going to the beach, Mummy?”

Sometimes Zena took them for a picnic under the ruins of the pier, but keeping them in the shade was exhausting. “No – today’s a surprise.”

When they reached the Dome Zena bundled them up in warm jackets - air-conditioning kept the temperature down to a cool 40 – but their awe at their first sight of a tree made the journey worthwhile.

With tears in her eyes she told them, “This is how it used to be.”

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This story may very well be prophetic, the way we're treating our world at the moment. I shudder for my grandchildren. There are countries still too poor to do their share of the repair, but the richer countries should be picking up the slack, and they're not. I was born in Australia, so the dreadful fires there are breaking my heart. 

Enough of politics! Thanks to J Hardy Carroll for the photograph, which reminded me of a tropical rainforest dome I visited in Australia 30 years ago, and the thoughts combined to inspire this story. Thanks also to Rochelle, our genial host on Friday Fictioneers on her blog  https://rochellewisoff.com/

BY THE PRICKING OF MY THUMBS - a story in 100 words

BY THE PRICKING OF MY THUMBS

It was so hot in the campervan that the children wanted to sleep in the tent. Delia was reluctant to let them but Barclay said, “The security guard patrols regularly – they’ll be fine.”

“I’ve got a bad feeling...” Delia demurred, but when he winked and added, “We’ll be alone for a night,” she blushed and yielded. The site was well-lit, the pool’s surface reflecting the orange lamps – what could go wrong?

Eventually the children’s giggling ceased, the van rocked to a standstill, and all was silent. Only then did a tentacle slither up from the deep end.

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This story, prompted by C.E Ayr's photograph, is my first for this year, and written in a hurry, as it is my granddaughter's 5th birthday today and I am taking the cake. I have been making Smartie cakes since my own children were small - sometimes chocolate ones, but she prefers plain. So be it!

And here is an update for those who read my story two weeks ago. My mother enjoyed her impromptu stay in a nursing home so much that she wanted to stay. Fortunately they had a vacancy arise over the Christmas period, so we will be moving Mum in soon.