PASS THE PARCEL - a story in 100 words

PASS THE PARCEL

When the social worker put Josie into my arms she was a silent, smelly little bundle – a two-year-old weighing less than our Christmas turkey. A life of being passed like a parcel between a drug-addict mother and a series of careless minders had almost killed her.

She slept in my bed that night and for months afterwards, gradually emerging from her shell, shrinking back when her feckless mother dropped in, but we fought off the woman’s attempts to reclaim her.

Now she's about to marry Martin – if he doesn’t treat her right he’ll have me to answer to.

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You don't have to be a birth mother to be fiercely protective, as I learned in my earlier life a a foster mother. Even some of my own children's friends became very dear to me.
Thanks to Rochelle for hosting Friday Fictioneers on her blog   https://rochellewisoff.com/  and to Jean L Hays for the photograph.

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/

NOT LOST BUT HIDING - a 100 word story

NOT LOST BUT HIDING

“You lost her?” Ellie’s mum shrieked. “It’s getting dark and she’s only seven!”

“She just ran off,” Roy mumbled. “You know how thick those woods are.”

“You’re the thick one – now we’ll have to go back out there and find her.”

Ellie didn’t like the woods at night – all those trees looming, the brambles clutching at her dress – and she was scared. When she saw the torches she nearly called out – until she heard his voice.

She didn’t want to be found after all – at least, not by Uncle Roy.

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Ronda del Baccio's photo inspired a dark story this week - my first for a fortnight as I have been on holiday with my daughters and granddaughter. We were looking forward to a week of sunshine but the weather had other plans. One day of torrential rain, another of showers, but we managed a couple of mornings on the beach and a few delicious meals out, so I came home refreshed.

Since my return I have been concentrating on a severe rewrite of the third book in my Living Rock series, and have finally settled on its title - Rock Fall. If you haven't read the first two, now is your chance - A Volcanic Race and Wolf Pack are available on Amazon in print or ebook.

Along with many other writers I am also tweeting a Very Short Story on Twitter regularly, prompted by a word chosen by #vss365. If you would like to read those, my tag is @young_liz.

WHEN I'M BIGGER - flash fiction for Friday Fictioneers

WHEN I’M BIGGER

Why does crying make your eyes all blurry?

I’m hungry, but when I asked Mummy for a biscuit she said I’d made her brush slip and she smacked me.

I don’t like it when she paints her models because it makes her busy and cross. She calls me a little pest and tells me to ask Daddy, but I don’t want to.

When I’m bigger I’m going to bite him – perhaps that will stop him hurting me.

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This week's photo prompt was taken by Jeff Arnold and it made me screw up my eyes trying to get it in focus, hence my story, which happened so fast that it only reached 80 words. I hope you agree that I was right to stop there? Please leave a comment and follow the link from Rochelle's blog  https://rochellewisoff.com/  to read other stories.

It doesn't seem possible that it's November already, but my son and grandson's Trick-or-Treat call last night made it clear. I shall have to get a move on with my decorating if our new old cottage is to look its best by Christmas!

Helter-Skelter - how about buying yourself an early Christmas present? My latest novel is on Amazon in paperback or Kindle, (click on the cover at the top of my blog to find it) and would make a great fireside read. Or a beach book, if you're in another temperate zone!