Friday Fictioneers 3-23-2023

PHOTO PROMPT Lisa Fox

“This is ridiculous!” Suzy said, tossing the cards down onto the bed.

“No wonder, all you have is Jokers,” Tim told her.

“I can see that.”

“Then Solitaire is going to be a little complex.”

She rolled her eyes. “You think?”

“I do.”

“Then maybe try finding me some good cards instead of stating the obvious.”

Tim searched the desk and found a new deck of cards.

“I’ll give you these cards if you play a game with me.”

“What game?”

Tim divided the cards between them. They both turned a card up, each a three.

“I- Declare- War!”

Friday Fictioneers 3-15-2023

PHOTO PROMPT ©Rowena Curtin 

The alley was narrow and colorful, filled with signs and benches and plants, anything which might make a tourist pause and come inside. She walked with her eyes on the narrow strip of horizon visible, shops holding no allure for her tired mind. Tony had said this would be the perfect honeymoon spot, but now he was gone and what was left for her to do?

How was she going to get home? And what would she say when she did? Her feet shifted from sidewalk to sand and yet she continued to walk.

Maybe the sea held the answer.

Friday Fictioneers 3-9-2023

PHOTO PROMPT © Jennifer Pendergast

“It’s beautiful!”

“Just a little something I threw together.”

“You did not just throw this together, Chris.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

“I do, but where did you get that light?”

“It was given to me,” he replied.

“Oh, it’s dramatic.”

“You don’t have to pretend you like it.”

“It’s okay if you don’t look too closely at it.”

He laughed. “We can take it down if you’d rather.”

“No, somehow it goes with the table,” she said thoughtfully. 

“Let’s make it a promise for no broken dishes in our marriage.”

She smiled. “Perfect.”

 

Friday Fictioneers 3-3-2023

PHOTO PROMPT © Miles Rost

“Do you know when you’ll be back this way?”

“I’m not sure,” he said, dumping the last load of laundry into the machine. “Though with this level of excitement, I can’t help but wonder why.”

“Silly,” she replied.

“I know, but you like me that way.”

“I do.” She sipped her tea. “Will you call me when you are back this way?”

“I will,” he might have lied.

“Sounds good.” She might have believed the lie.

Later, as he was leaving for the night, she kissed him goodbye. “See you next time.”

“Will do,” he replied and headed out into the night.

 

Friday Fictioneers 2-24-2023

PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

“Take me out to the ball game!”

“You’re here, kid.”

“Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack!”

“I don’t think they sell cracker jacks any more but they might have
peanuts.”

“For its one, two, three strikes you’re out!”

“Let the game start first, kid.”

“All right, Uncle Bill. Can I catch a fly ball from up here?”

“Too high, kid.”

“Ah….”

“But that’s okay. We can play ball when we get home.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, sure, kid.”

“Okay. Thanks for bringing me.”

“Ah, kid, you’re welcome.”

Friday Fictioneers 2-16-2023

PHOTO PROMPT © Lisa Fox 

He looked up at the second story and wondered what she was doing. He’d followed her here, watching from across the street as she went inside and then the corner room light came on. She was in there now and he needed to know what she was doing. Was she the right one?

He looked at the fire escape and the drain pipe, but he wasn’t a superhero so he went inside and up to her door. Would she come to the door?

He didn’t knock. She didn’t come to the door. She wasn’t the right one. How could she be? The right ones knew.

He disappeared back into the night.

Friday Fictioneers 2-9-2023

PHOTO PROMPT © Roger Bultot

The Throne of Love

He sat on the throne of love to watch the people go by. Didn’t get many pretty people down here, not by the bridge, but he didn’t need pretty people to watch. Ugly people were just as good to watch, maybe even better. They wouldn’t miss ugly people when they went away, not like the pretty folks.

A girl dressed in black walked by. A man dressed in tatters. Neither was just right and he needed just right. He had to have just right. A woman pushing a stroller.

Dusk fell and he still sat, watching, waiting for just right.

Friday Fictioneers 2-2-2023

PHOTO PROMPT © Alicia Jamtaas

She watched out her window, wondering about the woman in the window and the man below. Did they know each other? Was she about to jump? Was he waving or warning her back?

What did it really matter? A second story jump probably wouldn’t kill her like a nine-story jump. Warnings wouldn’t matter to a nine-story jumper. Nine-stories meant business.

But no, the woman was too relaxed to jump. Jumpers were nervous, tingling, ready to go.

They must just know each other. Just waving a friendly hello. How’s life? Frivolities in a frictionless world.

Hello. Just a friendly hello.

Friday Fictioneers 1-25-2023

PHOTO PROMPT ©  J Hardy Carroll

“I dare ya!”

“There is nothing in there.”

“Then go in and see.”

The boy snuck into the dark doorway, shining his flashlight around in a circle.

“Nothing in here,” his voice echoed.

Something moved in the dark.

“Who’s there?”

Another movement.

“Gary? Anton?”

“All right, guys. Funny.”

Nothing.

“Guys?”

Another movement in the dark.

The boy flipped the flashlight back and forth but saw nothing.

A sound.

He burst out of the darkness, expecting his friends to be laughing but they were nowhere to be seen.

“There is nothing in there,” he called out loudly and then began to run.

Friday Fictioneers 1-18-2023

PHOTO PROMPT © Na’ama Yehuda

“Tiny spin and go cycle.”

“It’s for Barbies.”

“I’m not much into Barbies.”

“I should hope not. A full-grown man.”

“You’d be surprised.”

“Maybe not,” she replied. “Some people collect anything.”

“I’ll leave the Barbie collecting for other men, thanks.”

“Ah, I could see you with Miss Barbie World.”

“Too small for me.”

“Should I get it for Stacy?”

“Why not. Every Barbie needs a mini washing machine.”

“That’s true. Barbie is a working girl you know.”

He laughed.

“Not that kind of working girl, silly.”

“I know. She can be anybody she wants.”

“Who knows? Maybe this will teach Stacy to help her Mom with the laundry.”