GARDENING LEAVE - a 100 word story

GARDENING LEAVE

Lynne was digging absently, her mind on her latest plot, when Ron’s voice broke into her train of thought. “What’s for dinner?”

Lynne sighed. “I’ve already told you twice – stew and cabbage.”

“No potatoes?”

“There weren’t any – shelves stripped bare.”

However early Lynne went shopping, the locusts beat her to it. Putting food on the table was hard enough without Ron’s constant whining. She stabbed her fork viciously into the compost heap and continued plotting.

A few months later Lynne’s novel was finished, the garden was awash with green, and Ron had potatoes coming out of his ears.

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For some reason I couldn't copy the photo on Rochelle's blog, so I've used a copy of the lovely painting she did from the same photo - I hope that's okay? To read what other writers made of the image, go to    https://rochellewisoff.com/  and click on the frog.

My story is not - repeat NOT - based on fact, just on daydreams! I hope you are all well, and if the virus hits you, get well soon. We are self-isolating as much as is possible - we do need to eat. Thank goodness the Off-licence is considered essential by Boris and his government! Cheers!

BLACK MARKET

BLACK MARKET

“How much? It’s only a cabbage!”

“Suit yourself - it’s no skin off my nose.”

“I’ll take it, but it’s daylight robbery.”

“It was moonlight, actually. How are you off for spuds?”

“I could use a few kilos.”

“I’m rationing them – I can only let you have two.”

Danielle scuttled indoors before the neighbours saw her buying black market vegetables, but if her husband didn’t get his meat and two veg her life wouldn’t be worth living. She turned on the television, hoping to hear better news about the virus.

Self-isolation with a bad-tempered man was worse than a prison sentence.

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Roger Bultot's photo of empty shelves is chillingly apposite in view of the reported stock-piling some people are doing right now. Even I bought a carton of long-life milk 'just in case'. And we're being careful to wash our hands more often, but we're not panicking - more people died this week from a dozen other causes than of Covid-19.

MORE EXCITING in my life this week is that the third book in my LIVING ROCK series is now published. You can buy LANDSLIDE on Amazon in print or ebook by clicking on the cover image on the right. If you haven't read the first two books yet, A VOLCANIC RACE and WOLF PACK are still there waiting for you!