Friday Fictioneers — How To Suffer An Art Attack

Copyright -John Nixon

Welcome to the Annual Nutsville Art Show!

Our next exhibit is titled Keyed-in by Eccentric Anon.

This is an incredibly powerful living sculpture, albeit a possible one-day wonder. As you might observe, the artist has rushed headlong into his creation and met with a dreadful accident. Whether this was intentional or not, we may never find out. It’s not every day that an upright piano consumes a downright idiot.

The instrument’s tuner has just confirmed that the only Chopin to be performed on this particular piano will involve the surgical extraction of said artist from the keyboard.

No photos, please.

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Friday Fictioneers: 100 word stories
Photo prompt: image (c) John Nixon

Friday Fictioneers — Boom!

monsters-dmm

Jack and Tina’s parents argued constantly about anything and everything. Tina hid in corners and quivered. Jack found different ways to blank the sound and escape to make-believe worlds.

Today he dived amidst corals and schools of neon fish, searching for shipwrecks filled with treasure and pirate bones, so he could buy a peaceful island in the sun and escape there with his sister.

Tomorrow night, when Tina went to her friend’s place for a sleepover, he’d don a tin helmet and ear defenders, lay dynamite under the house, and pretend he was a demolition expert just like his father.

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Friday Fictioneers: 100 word stories
Photo prompt: image (c) Douglas M. MacIlroy

Friday Fictioneers — Dark Aria

Thanks to Piya Singh for this week's photo prompt.

Come, hide behind this tree and wait for nightfall. Only then, as silent owls glide, bats flit and the brook burbles unseen, will you hear her sing.

The wheel of fortune has locked solid into the wheel of misfortune. She’s alone with a voice so beautiful and heart-rending, even the moon hides from her for fear she’ll disrupt the tides with her melancholy.

Once a renowned operatic mezzo-soprano with the world at her feet, madam is reduced to living in a hovel with crawling creatures her only companions.

You see, she loved the wrong man. It’s as simple as that.

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Friday Fictioneers: 100 word stories
Photo prompt: image (c) Piya Singh

Friday Fictioneers — Swallowed by a Maze

PHOTO PROMPT - © Sandra Crook

He placed an hour-glass clock adjacent to the maze. His idea of a joke. The hedge appeared not of threatening height from outside — no taller than the average man — so people were happy to take up the challenge.

The owner of the garden would set up his deckchair opposite the clock, pour himself a glass of champagne, and toast participants before they disappeared through an entrance that immediately closed behind them.

On the inside, the hedge reached to the sky and was full of thorns. Not an exit in sight.

Poor souls. Mere skeletons. The maze had a monstrous appetite.

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Friday Fictioneers: 100 word stories
Photo prompt: image (c) Sandra Crook

January’s #Guest Storyteller — Dale Rogerson

Dale

From office worker to caterer to … writer?

Since she could remember, Dale has been an avid reader, a lover of the written word. She finally decided to try her hand at writing, feeling there was a story inside of her.  A blog was born, but, would she find an audience?

Sarah says: Well, I think the answer to that is a resounding “yes”. Her blog A Delectable Life is aptly named, with the words delightful and pleasing describing it best. She never moans and always looks at life in a positive way, which is hugely inspiring in a world full of negative reportage.  As for her creative writing, it seems my suggestion that she try writing a 100-word story for Friday Fictioneers has resulted in her contributions there becoming part of her weekly routine. So seeing as she is now addicted to the art of flash fiction, I thought who better to kick off the New Year as my guest storyteller?

Thank you, Dale, for being a champ and accepting my invitation … and now I’ll shut up and let you get on with your tale.

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The Trek

The Trek

She was given very specific instructions:   Walk for one kilometre from the start point, direction north-west, until she reached the edge of the woods.  There she would find a small path, barely discernible, to the right of the blue, flat rock.  She was to take the path, taking care not disturb anything.

Petrified, heart pounding, she moved forward, branches pulling her hair, scratching her face and arms.  The ground seemed to want to suck her in but still she plowed forward, determined to reach her goal.

This was her once-in-a-lifetime chance to get exactly what she wanted, what she deserved!  She must keep on.  “I can so do this,” she whispered to herself, courage and confidence growing with each step.

Finally, she glimpsed the orange light in the clearing.  She was almost there!

As she struggled forward, thoughts began creeping in.  “Why was she here?    What did she want?  What was the purpose of this trek?”

She finally burst through into the clearing to find him standing there.

“You made it!” he cried. “You’ve earned my love and adoration, and we can be together forever!”

She tilted her head and looked at him.  “Funny thing happened to me on my way to you,” she replied.  “I came to the realisation that YOU have not earned ME.  I am strong enough to make my own decisions.  All this time, I thought I had to be worthy of you, when in reality, I had to be worthy of me.  For this, I must thank you.  I have discovered my own strength and I couldn’t have done it without you.”

With that, she turned around and walked back into the woods, ready to take on the world on her terms and hers alone.

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You can find the links to previous guest storyteller posts at