WATER MUSIC - a story in 100 words

WATER MUSIC

On holiday in Tenerife, who could resist a free concert?

It didn’t take them long to get ready – the Spanish waiter told them bikinis and sarongs were the norm. They started on the vodka in their hotel, mixed generous slugs into bottles of Coke, and went to the beach.

It was heaving, the music loud, the atmosphere electric.

They danced on sand that radiated the day’s heat, and watched the lights sparkle on the sea. It looked different at night – mysterious – and they dropped their sarongs to slip into its silken coolness.

Beach cleaners found their sarongs at dawn.

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There were many beach concerts when I lived in Tenerife, though I chickened out of going to one - I have more respect for my hearing! The sand needed sifting afterwards, despite the banning of glasses or bottles, but how could police control a jam-packed crowd of holiday-makers? Swimming at night, when drunk, is not a good idea either.

Thanks to Rochelle for running our group of flash writers, and to CE Ayr for his photograph she used as a prompt on her blog  https://rochellewisoff.com/  If you'd like to join our happy throng, click on the froggy on there which will take you to the link page.

I hope you are all well, staying safe, washing your hands, and ignoring idiotic advice to inject houshold substances or take unprescribed medicine!
Yes, I'm talking like a mum, but today I'm allowed to - it's my son's birthday, and he's of an age that reminds me how ancient I am :(

CONCERT - one hundred words - a story for this week.

CONCERT

They spent hours getting ready, filling her bedroom with perfume, laughter and excitement. Sophie borrowed my purple earrings.

Chloe’s dad dropped them off, their precious concert tickets tucked into tiny handbags, mobile phones as fully charged as our girls. They promised not to get separated, not to drink, not to take drugs – all the usual things parents worry about.

Later, I waited outside as instructed – apparently it’s embarrassing being met. I’d been there ten minutes when the bomb went off, and the world was nothing but blood, nails and screams.

I only recognised Sophie by her purple earrings.

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Looking at J Hardy Carroll's photograph of devastation, I could only write about this week's dreadful happenings in Manchester. How other writers interpreted the image can be found by following the link from https://rochellewisoff.com/
ps. if you would like to read another of my stories, I'm on p68 of Visual Verse at http://visualverse.org/

FINAL CONCERT - 100 word fiction

FINAL CONCERT

Barbara always carried her own cello – the famous musician wheeling her large case on a railway porter’s trolley was a familiar sight in cities across Europe.

She never let an audience down, and although the Germans were advancing at a terrifying rate, she refused to cancel her final concert in Paris.

It was June 1940 when she approached the checkpoint, where the officer in charge waved her though, saying, “I heard you play in Berlin, Fraulein - exquisite.”

By the time the authorities found her abandoned cello, three small, bewildered children were stretching their cramped limbs on English soil.

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Yet another photograph to prompt 100 word stories from us, the Friday Fictioneers group hosted by Rochelle on her blog  https://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/  

The photo was taken by Bjorn Rudberg, who will correct me if the instrument is a double bass, but cello is only one word and in this forum every word counts!