Category Archives: Challenges and Writing Prompts

Speckled Monsters


“Come along now Bertie,” ‘Lisbeth lilted, hoping to mask the inconsolable grief and horror that gripped her heart, “your princess chariot awaits!”

“Smallpox,” the doctor had whispered after examining the child earlier that day. “We must transport her to the island straight away.”

“Where are we going, mama?” Bertie asked as she lay in her mother’s embrace.

“To a beautiful castle my darling girl, where you can rest and get well.”

But Bertie, as her mother feared, would succumb days later, a prisoner of the castle, its moated barrier meant to contain speckled monsters like her behind its crenelated parapets.

~kat

A 100-word historic dramatization for Rochelle Wisoff-Fields Friday Fictioneers Flash Fiction Challenge. It is inspired by the above photo by Roger Bulltot.

When I researched the photo, I discovered that this place is the modern-day view of the ruined remains of the Smallpox Hospital in New York City. Located on the southernmost tip of Roosevelt Island, formerly known as Blackwell Island, and surrounded on all sides by the East River, it was designed by architect James Renwick, Jr.

Renwick is famous for designing other notable gothic structures, including St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC.

Stereoscopic photograph of the original Smallpox Hospital building

From 1856 until 1875, the small 100-bed facility served as the city’s small pox asylum treating about 7,000 patients a year. After some additions to the structure, it became a nurse’s school before being abandoned altogether in the 1950’s.

In 1972 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and in 1980 it was added to the New York State Register of Historic Places. Read more about the Smallpox Hospital HERE.

“Speckled Monster” is a nickname coined in England and attributed to the formal name of the Smallpox virus, Variola, which is derived from the Latin word varius, meaning “spotted”.


Twittering Tales #47 – 29 August 2017

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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 based on that prompt in 140 characters or less. Be sure to let me know in the comments with a link to your tale.

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. Have Fun!

Twittering Tales #46 – The Roundup

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Photo from Pexels.com

I started this round off inspired by the eclipse. But you all took the challenge to infinity and beyond! Some of your tales were other worldly, focused on faraway frontiers and others were deep, introspective…to that other final frontier, if you know what I mean! I am so amazed at the variety of impressions that flow from a single photo. Bravo, everyone! And thank you for playing this week.

My twittering tale:
“Where’s the lens filter?”
“I thought YOU packed it!”
“Great! This trip is ruined!”
“Mom, Dad, look!”
“Wow. Look at that.”
“Let’s take a selfie.”
(140 Characters)

From Reena at Reinventions:

“This really fascinates me.”
“What? People staying away from work?”
“No. It is the only time good people wait for the dark shadows to appear.”
(140 characters)

From Kalpana at Gemini in the Sky:

“All our misfortunes will be overshadowed courtesy this auspicious eclipse, Ana.”
“Face them, they disappear, John. Enjoy the eclipse”
137 characters

From Martin at Martin Corcoran:

When Women Rule the Earth:
I call this one: ‘Men argue over who has the best camera whilst woman takes epic photo.’ And this one’s: ‘Men miss Bigfoot flying UFO…and…’
140 Characters

From Di at Pensitivity101:

“CUT!
Pull the sun back up, I forgot to take the lens cap off.”
62 characters

and…Di had a busy previous week so here’s her entry for TT #45:

“This undercover stuff sucks”, thought Sid.
At least he didn’t get Bert’s assignment as Grandma.
95 characters

From Deepika at Deepika’s Ramblings:

A challenge to the participants, “Shadow and light”. Who’s in?
Open aperture, focus, and shoot ! The best picture shall be published in the next months digital express magazine.
139 characters

From Radhika at Radhika’s Reflections:

Thanks Dad for the camera. Your thoughtful birthday gift won me the first prize at a photography contest, beamed  Adi! This was my entry!
Character Count: 139

From Fandango at This, That, and the Other:

They told us that we could take photographs from this ridge. It was beautiful until the intense heat and wind from the blast overtook us.
(137 characters)

From Bobby at Writing, Events, Competitions and Even Some Self-Penned Bits:

Everyone was waiting for this once in a generation experience, the rebirth of the Phoenix.
89 characters

From Francine at Woman Walks Dog:

Forget the eclipse, I can see molten lava coming out of a deep abyss in the hillside. Is this normal? Is it the Day of Judgement? Quick let’s cook the burghers!

From Leena at Soul Connection:

Every1 Exctd Here,Lets Join Dem
Every Evng Sun Cvrs Nature In Btfl Black Shadow,2day His Turn
Haha Yea,Btfl Phenomna,It Brngs Negtvty Is Myth.

From Willow at WillowDot21:

The sun came up, so did the ants.
They crawled up legs and bit us in our pants.
Who decided we should use this spot
Just to get the sunrise shot.
(142 Characters)

From Edwin at Edwin’s Journal:

“Why are we here, dad?”
“Son, I’m here to shoot the precise moment, when the sun kisses the horizon. It’s always been my lifelong dream.”

From Kitty at Kitty’s Verses:

Many light years away, here I strike a pose as though catching him or am I deluded by my power?
A loud guffaw, I’m but a minuscule.
128 characters

From Peter at Peter’s Ponderings:

They gathered round the creature in awe, having come from afar to worship. Its eight limbs were silhouetted in the light of the ship’s glow.
(140 characters)

Twittering Tales #47 – 29 August 2017

This week’s photo prompt is MARBLES! I am thinking there are a few stories here. Avid collectors, gamers, CRAZY people…haha. As always, the most important thing is to enjoy the process. You have a week to come up with 140 characters! Knuckle down my fellow mibsters…no fudging allowed. (I’m afraid I’m giving my tale away, but oh well. This is just too fun!)

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Photo by David Estebanez at Pixabay.com

I heard he lost his marbles!

Yeah. That mibster was fudging. He knuckled down, knocked his aggies out and even took his taw for keepsies. 

(137 Characters)

~kat


Rain Shivers

shivering timbres,
shrill cicada crescendos
swell like rain droplets

rain puddle tripping
giddy twirls beneath wet arches
blue goose-bump shivers

misty afterglow
shivering twisted limbs wilt
in rain-drenched hollows

~kat

For TJ’s Haiku Hub Challenge inspired by his mystical photo above and the prompt words, shiver and rain.


Cookies Anyone?

Photo by AstralniHorizonti at Pixabay.com

“Are you scared Timmy?! Wah, wah! Scaredy cat!” Jeff badgered his friend.

“After YOU!” Timmy pushed Jeff through the door of the abandoned, old house. “Haha! Who’s the coward now?!”

Inside, the pale glow of an amulet illumated the room, its wearer cackled, “How nice! Guests, come for tea. Who likes cookies?”

~kat

A 52 Word Tale for Sacha’s Writespiration Challenge using the words, badger, coward, and amulet.


Glamping

PHOTO PROMPT© Jan Wayne Fields

Like two kids in a toy store, Todd and Julia filled their Camping World cart with hundreds of dollars worth luxury equipment: an elevated airbed, solar-powered shower kit, deluxe outdoor kitchen with propane grill and a French press.

Todd set up the tent and other essentials while Julia happily strung battery-operated lights around the campsite. After a gourmet dinner they settled in for the night.

“Just listen to that. Silence.” Todd whispered. “Isn’t this great?” he sighed.

“No,” Julia whined, “I miss noise. Can we go home?”

“Now?!”

“Now. Don’t hate me. I just don’t think I’m into roughing it.”

~kat

100 Words exactly for Rochelle Wisoff-Fields Friday Fictioneers Challenge inspired by the photo above by Jan Wayne Fields.