April 16, 2019

Twittering Tales #132 – 16 April 2019

About the challenge: Each Tuesday I will provide a photo prompt. Your mission, if you choose to accept the challenge, is to tell a story in 280 characters or less. When you write your tale, be sure to let me know in the comments with a link to your tale. If you would prefer to post your tale in the comments (some people have very specific blog themes but still want to participate), I am happy to post a link to your site when I post your tale in the Round Up.

A final note: if you need help tracking the number of characters in your story, there is a nifty online tool that will count for you at charactercountonline.com.

I will do a roundup each Tuesday, along with providing a new prompt. And if for some reason I missed your entry in the Roundup, as I have occasionally done, please let me know. I want to be sure to include your tale.

Finally, have fun!

Twittering Tales #131 -The Roundup

Photo by Adhitya Andanu at Pexels.com

Starting us off…
Grounded
The flights were grounded. Sadie scrolled through texts until one caught her eye.
“She’s gone Sadie. I’m so sorry.”
Sadie looked up, tears welling up in her eyes when she saw a familiar face staring back at her in the rain dappled window.
“Bye mom. We sure are gonna miss you.”
~kat
277 Characters

By The Dark Denizen:
Downpour
The rain is pouring down hard.
I do usually love the rain. However, today it has completely ruined my plans. It was all going well until now. The takeoff has been delayed. How will my plan be executed now?
I just can’t hijack a grounded flight…
Character Count: 245

By Reena at ReInventions:
Escape
Fear grips him as he hears announcements about the flight being delayed due to bad weather. It is his last hope for freedom, his ticket to a new life in another country.
The police can be here any moment.
(203 characters)

By Kate at Everywhere and Nowhere:
Adventure
She was glad she had the window seat, so no one would see her tears.
This was it, she was saying goodbye to her life as she knew it and striking out on her own.
Everyone kept telling her how exciting it was, but the word her brain went to was terrifying.
I hope this isn’t a mistake.
Characters: 280

By Fandango at This, That, and the Other:
Ground Hold
“This is your captain speaking. Thunderstorms have moved into the area and air traffic control has put a ground hold on flights. We will remain on the tarmac awaiting a weather update.”
Mark looked at his watch. “Dammit, I’m going to miss my son’s birthday party. I hate this job.”
(280 characters)

By Ron at Read4Fun:
Bordering on Crazy
Her tears matched the sky’s. She had sent her firstborn. A daughter’s sacrifice for the defense of a thankless nation. Most of her had returned first class. The box occupied little space. Stupid policies ordered her to resist the Invaders from the South. RIP, ICE Agent, El Paso.
279 characters

By Larry at EastElmhurst.A.Go.Go:
I May Never Get There
I’ve finally gotten my passport. My ethnic background’s Irish so I’m going to Ireland on Aer Lingus from La Guardia. Thought it’d never happen. “Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain,” I hear. “Due to severe weather conditions, we are unable to…”

By Graham at Graham is Just My Name:
She watched the jet depart and shed a solitary tear.
She exuded melancholy, but unbeknownst to the casual onlooker, was relieved that the sick bastard had finally left for good.
Only compassion for the crew and passengers prevented the cruellest of thoughts from arising in her mind.
(280 chars)

By Kristian at Tales From the Mind of Kristian:
Maiden Flight
Past obscuring lines of rain
I see the waiting aeroplane
A rising panic grips my chest
Like pangs of hunger manifest
I take a pill to ease my stress
The panic pains soon regress
I conquered fear, my mental plight
Now it’s my maiden Pilots flight
I feel brilliantly
Won’t you fly with me?
[278 Characters]

By Di at Pensitivity101:
Tabatha looked forlornly out of the window, and then at all the people in the departure lounge.
‘We’re not all going to fit,’ she said.
‘Of course we will Honey,’ her mother replied.
‘No we won’t. The planes are shrinking in the rain.’
232 characters.

By Willow at WillowDot21:
Rory watched the rain as the plane taxied to its slot.That was the worst flight he’d been on. Turbulence all the way passengers only allowed up for the loo.Serving dinner had been hairy they’d nearly lost the trolley more than once.God he’d never been so grateful to see Heathrow.
(280 Characters)

By John at The Magic Shop:
Safe Landing
The pilot knew. Despite the current misery that the passengers were enduring, it was safer for them to stay onboard. They had landed two hours ago just as the storm began. Something was in the rain. A thing that pulled two men up off the runway with it’s tentacles as the pilot being the only witness.
(300 characters)

By Patricia at A Wise Woman’s Journey:
All I Can See
Bright lights,
airplane awaiting for clearance
to fly…
but all I can see
are the tears that fall
with the raindrops…endlessly,
as my lover sits in the airplane
waiting for his new life to take off
without me to never return again.
228 Characters

By Regina at Help from Heaven:
Adventure Delayed, Not Lost
As the cantankerous old man screams at the airline personnel about losing his vacation, I want to say to him, “Sir, the rain only means the adventure is delayed. You wil still make sweet memories.” Safe on the ground, my anticipation of laughter, love, and good food grows.
(275 characters)

By Tessa at Tessa Can Do It:
The rain provided coverage as Will circled the small plane looking for a way to sneak on board and stowaway.
The stewardess opened the hatch to allow passengers to enter, but was called away. Will used the chance to climb aboard and hide in the luggage area without a hitch.
273 characters

By Anurag at Jagahdilmein:
Best Served Wet
I saw the plane still on the ground, and thanked God for the storm.
I’d be able to make it just in time…to finally be face-to-face with HIM.
For the world, he was the hero who’d saved passengers after a bird-hit.
For me, he was just the human who had hit my father with a plane.
279 characters

By Ennle at Abandoned Amenities:
Dreams on Pyre
Though it was raining
The evening I left, the
Plane looked to be in
Flames…I died tortured
Death of heart in
Shattered shards
Dreams laid out on pyre.
Not even a mile from
Beach, I should have walked
Into the waves slow deep…
No one would have noticed
Till steam rose like lava, below.

By Indhu at Always:
Saviour!
I looked up from my phone and stared out of the window in disbelief.
“180 feared dead” read the news. The previous flight is missing and is nowhere to be located in this terrible weather.
I thanked my alarm for not working today morning!
<236 characters>

By MSJadeli at Tao Talk:
She sat in the car, waiting for the passengers to debark. Delays in Chicago meant she’d waited two extra hours. He was worth it. Five long years since seeing the love of her life.
The plane’s door began to open.
Grabbing the cuffs, she said, “OK, deputy, let’s go get him.”

By JP at JP the Wide-Eyed Wanderer:
Dance in the Rain
Rain falls and
lightning strikes
in the heart of darkness
alone tonight
For love will come
and love will go
the rain will fall
and wind will blow
When in love’s storm
our hearts are lost
we chance the fire
and never count the cost
I learned to dance
in the rain,
sing the song
forget the pain
character count 278

By Sadje at Keep It Alive:
The rain was making things difficult for the travelers. A delay was announced yet again in the flight time. Mum and dad were both tired of waiting in the lounge but Sally’s excitement knew no bounds as she knew that she was going to meet her grandparents at the end of the journey. She was the epitome of a well behaved child.
Character count:261

By Peter at Peter’s Pondering:
Since those huge bright globes appeared low in the sky it hadn’t been safe to venture outside.
All who tried were frazzled to a cinder.
We soon realised that we needed to keep to the shadows, but then the acid rain proved deadly too!
We’ve now used the last of the food and water!
(280 characters)

By Deb at Twenty Four:
Looking out at the sunlite garden, he conceded that though his parents had sacrificed a lot to give him this opportunity, awareness and willingness were two different things.
With a deep sigh he gazed down at the photo, and this writing prompt wasn’t doing much for him.
(270 characters)

By Radhika at Radhika’s Reflection:
The Solo Trip
Her first solo trip abroad, had taught Annie life skills and learning beyond the two decades of formal education.
Missed flight, incessant weather, bitter experience, helpful people, diverse culture, dealing with situations….it was a mixed bag.
She was now ready to take on life!
Letter count 280

By The IndieShe:
It was a chaotic day.It had been raining heavily with many flights being delayed or cancelled The rain pattered windows watched the neon lights preening themselves in the glistening tarmac .The overcast sky now the master of its own realm as it had grounded the alien invaders.
(280 characters)

By Namitha at The Cosmo Dame:
Power
My eyes were filled with tears as I boarded the flight.
‘New life new beginning’ I told myself, yet, clear wasn’t my sight.
With a blurred vision I looked outside, water droplets trying to kiss the window.
Like a feeling of an unknown power telling ‘Move on, I am here with you!’.
Character Count: 277

By John at Broadsides:
With apologies to TripAdvisor
Landing in Ireland! It’s raining! But you’ll have your umbrellas, your wellington boots AND galoshes, and a fold up ponchos, for emergen rain. And you’ll be off to see Blarney castle – in the rain, the Giants Causeway – in the rain, to drink a pint of Gluiness – in the rain, and if you’re lucky, to watch a Gaelic hurling match, in the rain.

Wonderful tales this week! Thank you everyone for taking the time to tweet! And if you are new here, welcome! I hope you’ll join us again! For this week’s prompt, a photo of a relic by Luis Quintero at Unsplash.com. You don’t see many of these around anymore, with smart phones and tablets. As I was writing my little tale, I thought about how quickly technology has advanced in my own lifetime. I can only imagine how we will communicate with each other fifty years from now! Feel free to use this week’s prompt as a launching pad for a look past or a look to the future. In 280 characters or less…and I’ll see you at the round up!