Tag Archives: 140 characters

September 10, 2019

Twittering Tales #153 – 10 September 2019

By Kat Myrman

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. This is important as I have noticed that some of the ping backs have not been working. 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!

This Week’s Twittering Tales #153 – 10 September 2019 – Photo Prompt

Photo by Nadiya Ploschenko at Unsplash.com

My take…

The Visitors

The ufo was back, but Jules was ready. They would not take him aboard the craft tonight! He chained himself to the floor eventually falling asleep when the lights from the ship went dark.

Earthlog-Humanoid #469: Specimen set up defenses after only 3 days. Test brain matter.

~kat

275 Characters

Last Week’s Twittering Tale #152 – The Roundup

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Photo by Geralt at Pixabay.com

Starting us off…
Wish You Were Here…
When Agent Smith mysteriously disappeared, he left a coded message. Authorities knew his daughter had learned to read code. Agents brought her in.
After a few moments, Hanna burst into laughter.
“What does it say?”
“Dad’s on vacation. He’ll see you in a month…’bout time dad!”
~kat
278 Characters

By The Dark Netizen:
DATA
She read the data.
It had taken hours to upload it all. After the main servers were systematically taken out one by one, it was up to her to safeguard the backup data. She could not trust other agents and so she had stored the data in the most secure location:
Her android brain…
Character Count: 280

By Lisa at Tao Talk:
Fried
Gynoid X loaded data by reading through screens at a nanosecond a page – until she got to the screen full of blue zeros and ones. In robotspeak zero is off and one is on. X went into “robot seizure,” turning off and on over and over again. When they found her, she was fried.
[278 characters]

By Reena at ReInventions:
Spaces in Between
What I want?
What I don’t?
What can I change?
What I can’t?
What do I do, and how?
What should I refrain from, and why?
Life happens, or falls between the crevices of Os and 1s
A lifetime is not enough to write and manage an ever-changing code.
(237 characters)

By Willow at WillowDot21:
Error 444.
Zeros and ones, they were her friends they guided her through life. She only saw in binary it was her norm. Beautiful colours blue, green and red were her comfort zones.
So it came as a real shock when suddenly she saw something emerging in black and white. Did she need a reboot?
(279 Characters)

By Lorraine at Lorraine’s Frilly Freudian Slip:
Code-X
Eyes closed, she streams the code.
Randomly selects ones and zeroes.
Translates into humaneze.
“I’ll take Kat’s Twittering Tales for a thousand, Alex.”
(148 characters)

By Milly at Truly Milly:
Hacking A Hacker
The FBI has hired her to hack a hacker’s account. “Help us catch this anonymous criminal,” the FBI said.
She started typing the code, thinking to herself, “They still don’t know it’s me they’re after. I should find another hacker to blame.”
(241 Characters)

By Mike at The Bookish, Recovering Know-It-All:
Fluid Reality
So many lines. So many colors. Anna looked deeply into the stream to ferret out the meanings and connections represented in the code, but all she got was “All is One and One is All”. In the end she saw that, as if in a dream, a pre-programmed Matrix, “Individuality is Illusion”.
-279 characters

By Fandango at This, That, and the Other:
Her Biggest Payday
She goes by }{4/V/V4, which is Leet Speak for Hanna. She’s the most accomplished hacker on the globe. She never fails and she is in high demand for both legitimate purposes as well as nefarious ones.
But her biggest payday came when she hacked the IRS for Trump’s tax returns.
(275 characters)

By Shweta at My Random Ramblings:
Amy’s Mischief
Amy’s mama had always told her to stay away from the “thing”.
It was her father’s last invention… before he disappeared.
That fateful day, she disobeyed her mama and twiddled with the “thing”.
All of a sudden, the “thing” sprung to life.
Amy was stunned to see her long-lost father!
(280 characters)

By Di at Pensitivity101:
It was in here somewhere, the secret to Gram’s apple cider cake.
Smart old bird was ahead of her time.
101 characters

By Melanie at Sparks from a Combustible Mind:
Ariel was gifted.   She could ‘see’ the matrix.   It was vastly different from what the movies depicted too.  She lifted the soothing blue lines of the barrier.  Put her hand through.  It was invigorating.  She stepped into the next world and vanished. Nobody even missed her.
(Characters:  276)

By Bear at Jellico’s Writing Nook:
Rough hands grabbed at her. She fought, trying to make contact with anything that lived. Instantly, she felt hot breath on her throat.
‘Shh. Stop fighting.’ A masculine voice hissed into her ear. ‘You’re safe. Stop fighting.’
The voice… it sounded familiar somehow.
cc: 263

By Larry at East Elmhurst A Go Go:
I Told You So
Yolanda had a bad habit of standing close to the screen at movies. Stanley begged her not to, just this once. “If you do,” said he, “You’ll be sucked into the movie and never come out. I hope for your sake you can act.” She wouldn’t listen. Now she’s in France in 1910.
(275 characters)

By Joe at Does Writing Excuse Watching?:
First Contact
We see him standing in front of the US DOD Intergalactic Message Board, which has been designed to facilitate communication between the Free World’s military and whichever extraterrestrials, using binary code. We are told that after studying the board for some minutes, the alien, named by the press “Eric the Blond,” requested that in addition to all the 0s and 1s, we begin using some 2s.

By Tessa at Tessa Can Do It!:
Should We Trust?
“I don’t totally trut him so the product isn’t on me,” Ron said.
“Headquarters is larger than I thought it would be, but is Nator honorable? I am glad that the product isn’t on you. How do we know whether to trust them or not?”
“Good question. Can we access these computers?”
274 characters

By Ron at Read 4 Fun:
Stories of Unicorns, Dragons, Fairies filled my youth. Mom said stories were not real; there were dark forces. Technology developed. New stories became horror stories. If I could communicate, I could help. Now, I can. I cracked the code; I can send a message. “Dear Irthlings ..”
279 characters

By Deb at Twenty Four:
Julie sighed, disappointed that not one person had a single question.
Turning her back on her audience, then frowned. The painting was altering before her eyes and then she had a crazy idea, perhaps she could walk into the other dimension.
That would raise some questions for sure.
(280 characters)

By Peter at Peter’s Pondering:
She was expert in Octal, and knew that octal numerals can be made from binary by grouping consecutive binary digits into groups of three (starting from the right). She was using that to solve the problem that could save Earth.
A pity that her magnetism was distorting the monitor!
(280 characters)

By Rob at Art by Rob Goldstein:
Trina Makes Up Her Mind
Trina learned the power of ones and zeros from the
elephant God, Anjana.
Anjana took ones and zeros to make mice.
He taught Trina to use them to make minds.
Trina studied her mind for flaws; she trimmed it to
perfection.
When she finished, she used it to fly to New York.
239 characters

By John at Broadsides:
“Ohh, I say, your entry phone’s all weird! Beam me up, Scottie!”
“I kana hear ya lassie, wa yer want?
Beam me up! Beam me up!
“I dinna even know ya, I never beamed yer up at all, that’s an awful accusation.”
“No no B.E.A M., ha ha, beam me up, Scottie!
Piss off lassie, leave ma entry phone alone.

By Kitty at Kitty’s Verses:
Ain’t Appetising Enough!
What’s on the menu ?
A fudge?
Seriously !!! Why is work catching up at home too ?
Like the investigation on the company’s messed up accounts wasn’t already enough.
Might as well skip the dessert! Ain’t appetising enough!
219 characters 

By Kristian at Tales from the Mind of Kristian:
A Tech Giant
As Jenny faced a wall of code, her breath quickened in fervid fashion. This was no time for reserve, she knew what to do.
She pushed forward youthful hands and entered the digital world, where she’d be a technological giant.
To become one with technology is to rule the world.
[277 Characters]

By Sadje at Keep It Alive:
She was a bit apprehensive but it could be done now. The future had finally arrived. All you had to do was to put the coordinates and the name and your desired period of time and you would be whisked there by pressing a single button. Nothing complicated. 
Character count: 256

Great Round Up everyone! I hope you will give this week’s prompt a go. As you can see, I changed the format slightly, with last week’s Roundup following the current photo prompt. I hope this makes it easier for those who may be scrolling on their phones. And…if you’ve read this far, THANK YOU! We had some great takes on the photo this week. See you next week!!!

 

66 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Flash Fiction, Random Thoughts and Musings, Twitter Tales

August 27, 2019

Twittering Tales #151 – 27 August 2019

By Kat Myrman

Twittering Tales

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. This is important as I have noticed that some of the ping backs have not been working. 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 #150 -The Roundup

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Photo by Felipe Ribeiro at Pexels.com

 

67 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Flash Fiction, Twitter Tales

July 30, 2019

Twittering Tales # 147 – 30 July 2019

By Kat Myrman

Twittering Tales

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. This is important as I have noticed that some of the ping backs have not been working. 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 #146 -The Roundup

cenote-323147_1280

Cenote Cave in the Yukatan by mattiaverga at Pixabay.com

Starting us off…

Remembering…
Sandra hoped to quell the nightmares that had haunted her for years in the cool waters of Ik Kil. As she floated in the pristine pool, the sound of drums and chanting filled her head. This place felt oddly familiar, terrifying, peaceful as she remembered she’d been here before.
~kat
278 Characters

By Di at Pensitivity101:
Toy Story
‘Daddy’s killed all my toys,’ Sabrina sobbed into her mother’s shoulder.
Aster glared at her husband.
‘They were draining resources,’ he explained. ‘It won’t be long before other humans find the Pool child, and then you can have some new ones.’
242 characters.

By Willow at WillowDot21:
The Last Farewell
Opening her eyes she was free, no more pain not even that of leaving them behind.
One last look at all she had done and written, she saw all the people she had touched. He was there young and fit and smiling at her. Come he said let’s dive the water is so clear. Together they did.
(280 Characters)

By Tien at From the Window Seat: 
Frogs in a Pot
The swimmers enjoyed themselves in the limestone pool, splashing around in the cooling waters. The summer sun continued its relentless heat waves.
None of them noticed the rising temperature of the limestone waters until it was too late.
By then, sukiyaki was ready to be served.
(277 characters)

By The Dark Netizen:
Miracle Pool
The pool had earned a solid reputation.
Its waters slowed aging. The rich flocked to swim in the pool. They paid the hefty entry fees and swore by the effects. Only years later did they discover the village drainage pipes connecting to the pool.
The villagers avenged their past….
Character Count: 280

By Fandango at This, That, and the Other:
The Zoo
“There are so many, Mommy,” Sara said as she and her mother looked down at the tropical pond from the catwalk high above.
“It’s hard to believe there were only a dozen when we brought them here before their planet became uninhabitable,” her mother said. “All they do is procreate.”
(280 characters)

By Graham at Graham is Just My Name:
CENOTE
My body screamed at me not to enter but my heart urged me in.
Magical and captivating sight. Sun caressed bodies at play on the limpid water.
Water that had dragged my beautiful boy into its dark depths the fateful day of his dive into that abyss.
Tears of joy when he was rescued.
(278 chars)

By Reena at ReInventions:
Making of a Criminal
This toy gives me immense satisfaction, especially while watching WWF on television.
I treat my enemies the way I want to. It is catharsis.
Today, I see them swimming out of the well. Maybe, they have a soul… but they failed to see mine. I push them back again.
(259 characters)

By Dave at @DaveMadden:
The Oasis
“How much farther?”
“It should be just up ahead.”
“We have been walking forever and haven’t seen a soul. How can you be so sure?”
“Trust me. We’re almost there, and we’ll have the whole oasis to ourselves.”
“I thought you said we’d be alone out here.”
“Umm…”
“I’m going to the car.”
Character Counts: 278

By Lisa at Tao Talk:
Pool of Souls
The last thing Sha saw was a man with a syringe. Waking, she found herself on a stone ledge near a round pool of deep water surrounded by tall sheer rocks. Looking up, Shar saw sunshine, green, and water falling.
“Where am I?” she asked.
“The Afterlife Pool – waiting to return.”

By Jellico’s Writing Nook:
These Days
They were told not to swim there, but did they listen…Nooo.
Now look at them, covered head to foot in slime. It’s a disgrace.
Adults these days, I tell ya…

By Larry at East Elmhurst A Go Go:
Big Decision
The battle had reached its climax. The World War I flying ace was forced into an emergency ejection from his plane. “The Red Baron will never get me,” he announced into his radio. He jumped, opened his parachute, and hoped for the best as he cascaded into the unknown.
(273 characters)

By Ron at Read 4 Fun:
Long Drought. Hands appeared around the edge of our world. Plants and shade appeared. A far-away voice, “Ready, turn on the tap.” Water flowed gently from several sources. The ground inundated quickly; water levels rose. Hope it stops before flooding. Man-made climate change.
276 characters

By Anurag at Jagadilmein:
Tourist Trap
“Are you guys having fun?” the tour guide shouted from above.
The cacophonous response that followed, gave him his answer.
“That’s great,” he yelled back, “because you guys could be stuck down there for a long, long time if your folks delay paying up your ransom.”
264 characters

By Kitty at Kitty’s Verses:
Keep Going
Banyan tree’s nature to sprout from the seeds that land on other trees by smothering them, can either be seen as selfish nature of the banyan or tenacity to survive no matter the circumstances. The perseverance to keep going in tiring times is the positive side to the coin.
274 characters

By Kristian at Tales From the Mind of Kristian:
Love, Extinguished
It was a beautiful spot; Couples arrived at the secluded pool through a candle-lit passage. He’d had to scout hard to find the opening at the top.
Since she’d rejected him, he’d planned his revenge. The click of the trigger echoed in that bowl-shaped hollow. So did the screams.
[279 Characters]

By Linda at Charmed Chaos:
The Feast
The last addition to John’s living aquarium arrives tonight. These oddities are prized; amazing what millions of dollars can buy. The truck arrives and the iron gate opens. From high above John shouts ‘Let the creature loose!’
It slides into the water and the bloody feast begins.

By Sadje at Keep It Alive:
They were there to get whole and healed again. All that was required was to jump into the hot water of the pool with the absolute faith that it will heal all their physical ailments . Uma and her husband held hands and jumped in, letting go of the crutches they were carrying.
Character count; 271

By Tessa at Tessa Can Do It!:
The Landing
Landing at Cenote Cave in the Yukatan was a great place to hide. Being out of the country makes it hard for the over-seas cops to track them down.
“Did you hide the goods, Ron?”
“Yes, and where’s the kid?”
“Taking advantage of the pools.”
“Hope he sleeps tonight. Suspicions arising.”
280 characters

By Rekha at Invictus:
Welcome to the Party
We hung around the edges of the pool as the bodies fell in one after another.
Like them, we had been pleasantly surprised that our captors chose to dump us in such breathtakingly beautiful, clear waters. We’d also wondered if they were villainous at all. The cool, fresh water had washed our fears away and we had swum about happily. Until our skin started burning, then itching and to our utter horror, peeling off.
Warning the newcomers was pointless. One dip was all it took.

By Deb at Twenty Four:
Mark grinned, “It’s perfect, do you think anyone will realise?”
“Of course they will, that’s the whole point, to be astounded by what we’ve achieved.”
“They look so realistic though.”
“Exactly,” Mary stated caustically, “Until we pull the strings.”
“And the marionettes come to life.”

By Indhu at Always:
Our Abode
“Well, they seem to be happy and relaxing”, said He.
“Yeah”, said the other one.
“This is our right and why are WE hiding from them?” added He.
“It is time to show them their place!”
The extraterrestrials gather to plan the wipe out of all humans from their planet.
<263 characters>

By Diane at Ladies Who Lunch Reviews:
The Gift
Papa, it’s wonderful!
Well, it’s not everyday that a prince turns 10, now is it?
May I make the puppets move?
Puppets? Oh, no, son, they’re not toys. They’re tiny subjects I had created just for you.  Now, be gentle —
I’m making this one fly!
Wilhelm, no — his arm!
275 characters

By Peter at Peter’s Pondering:
She collected, and bred, carnivorous plants all her life, and was considered an expert.
She thought she had every type until offered a gigantic pitcher plant she had never seen before.
She was delighted with the new acquisition, and decided to name it after the donor, Herman Trapp!
(280 characters)

By Rob at Art by Rob Goldstein:
Echo Lake Park
Skyscrapers rise
through the dusty
skies
around Echo
Lake Park.
Ripples of water collide
as children splash and
dive,
and swim to shore.
126 Characters

By John at Broadsides:
What we can do is build a lift, a glass lift, rising up and down between the apartments we can cut into the rock face, all-glass fronts, and a beautiful water slide curling and twisting into the pool, and maybe a hot tub. All we need is planning permission.

What a diverse array of tales this week! It’s fascinating how many versions of a story can develop from one photo! Thank you to everyone who tweeted this week! For this week a familiar scene, I’m thinking. You can write about our global heat wave like I did… or maybe there’s someone amidst the throng who is living out a dramatic story only you can tell! Have fun with it! Keep cool! And I’ll see you at next week’s round up! 😊

Twittering Tales # 147 – 30 July 2019

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Photo by enriquelopezgarre at Pixabay.com

Toast

foolish naysayers will cry
thinning ozone is a lie
they boast global warming’s a hoax
but the mercury’s rising
polar ice caps are melting
the sea’s swelling over the coast
people gathering in droves
strip off all of their clothes
sizzling on sand bars like toast

~kat

254 Characters

57 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Flash Fiction, Random Thoughts and Musings, Twitter Tales

July 16, 2019

Twittering Tales #145 – 16 July 2019

By Kat Myrman

Twittering Tales

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. This is important as I have noticed that some of the ping backs have not been working. 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 #144 -The Roundup

img_5058

Photo by Lisa Fotios @ Pexels.com

Starting us off…

The Reunion
“I heard Mr. Murdoch left teaching after we graduated.”
“He was creepy.”
“You’re telling me! Remember his tutoring sessions?”
“No…”
“I don’t remember either. You had tutoring sessions with him?”
“If you want call it that…”
“Oh my god, Sue!”
“Well I heard he’s a congressman now…”
280 Characters
Disclaimer: Murdoch is a fictitious name lest my little tale start any rumors!

By Deepa at SyncWithDeep:
Food Coma
the
emotions
gathered
for a
homecoming..
as usual
anxiety
turned
out late!

By Willow at WillowDot21:
The Top Set.

We end up in the kitchen, we always did. The magnificent seven they called us, sorting out the ills of the world. Back then we were going to change the world. Everyone thought we had it made.Look at us now we couldn’t even change alight bulb! Where did all the fight go.
(277 Characters)

By The Dark Netizen:
Intervention
I’m the only one against the idea.
Everyone else seemed okay with it. We wait in the kitchen while the two sort out their differences outside. I’m unsure about leaving the two unsupervised. With them things tend to fly out of proportion.
Thank God, this party has a no-guns theme…
Character Count: 280

By Kristian at Tales of from the Mind of Kristian:
The After Party
As they stood in the kitchen, they let the wine flow, celebrating a murder well executed.
The body of their old orphanage matron, called The Dragon, had been a sight to behold.
Tom noticed Tee-An. She wasn’t happy. She’ll give the game away. She’d have to be the next to go.
[275 Characters]

By Tien at From the Window Seat:
Secret Recipe
“Really, that’s my salad’s recipe!”
“Oh, you expect us to believe that? Fried baby toes and fingers?” she sipped an aged man’s blood. AB negative, her favourite.
“Fine. Also, some virgin women’s skin flakes.”
The human-like demons in the room nodded at the revelation of her words.
(278 characters)

By Graham at Graham is Just My Name:
There were savoury biscuits, fresh crusty bread and smelly cheeses but in reality it was always about the wine.
Martine always wanted vintage red.
As long as she was happy to provide it, we didn’t really care.
We were selfish bitches and we had never really warmed to her anyway.
(276 chars)

By Fandango at This, That, and the Other:
The Party
Congratulations. Bob told me that you’re pregnant.
He told you? Dammit, I asked him not to say anything yet.
You know, sweetie, you shouldn’t be drinking wine in your condition.
My condition? OMG, sweetie, mind your own fucking business.
Things at the party went downhill from there.
(279 characters)

By Tina at Tina Stewart Brakebill:
Together Alone
outside looking in
watching you through downcast eyes
forever fearing

By Lorraine at Lorraine’s Frilly Freudian Slip:
A Vintage Year
We gathered in the kitchen for the ritual uncorking.
Vlad’s wine tasting parties always intrigued me.
Colour a deep-vein red, bouquet lush.
Vlad raised his glass:
“To vino di sangue! This bottle has been in my family for centuries.”
I let the rim of the glass brush my lips . . .
(277)

By Rekha at billionbougainvilleas:
Routine
Nothing changed.
Leah’s projects consumed her, bored us. Claire the Considerate heard her out with a halo.
Grace looked combative. I looked down hoping gravity lowered anxiety.
Jason wouldn’t ask about Riham but his eyes did.
The house bell chimed.
Riham. With some Nathaniel…
Jason suddenly turned into the life of the party.
I wanted Leah back…
Word count: 285

By Larry at East Elmhurst A Go Go:
Boy, Girl, Boy, Girl, Me
I was recently visiting kin in Pennsylvania. Everyone’s spoken for except me, so inevitably boy, girl, boy, girl, me. It’s weird because I’ve always been allergic to odd numbers. I’m such a fab guy so there must be a girl for me. Until I meet her I’m happy this way.
(270 characters)

By Lisa at Tao Talk:
Intervention
It was Gin’s turn to make dinner for the club. The entree was almost done as they chatted in the kitchen. It was more than chatter. The other six had planned the intervention for Gin, who drank too much, for weeks. She listened and smiled, thinking of the rum cake dessert.
[278 characters]

By Di at Pensitivity101:
They had been friends since college, and as Zoe raised the glass to her lips, Dianne turned on her.
‘How long have you been having an affair with my husband?’
Tom poured the wine into the salad and hoped nobody noticed Dan’s face turn white.
239 characters

By Pratibha at Prat’s Corner:
Outsider
They were lost in the conversation, whatever, or whoever, it was about.
He was curious to know, but he knew better than to ask.
He had learned this part of hanging out with the ladies from early on – He was good to be passed the secret recipes, but not other’s secrets. Not yet.

By Tessa at Tessa Can Do It!:
The Getaway!
“The kid doesn’t know anything,” the cop said. “How about the parents.”
“Joey come on, we have to go now. Daddy has the car ready,” Linda said quietly.
While the doctor was talking to the cops, Linda and Joey left. Hopping into the VW they roared off to safety at Nan’s place.
275 character

By John at The Magic Shoppe:
Waiting for that Taste
There was a reason the five of them felt anxious in the kitchen. The moment that they  planned was now here. They had all previously agreed that Kara had to go. Her infidelities and lies towards them had to stop. The five of them waited as the poisoned glass touched Kara’s lips.
(280 characters)

By John at BroadsidesDotMe:
The Unwanted Guest
“I say old bean, it was a bit much you know, murdering a dinner guest simply because they were vegan.”
“Oh, don’t be silly Billy, she brought a lovely bottle of burgundy and now there’ll be a lot more pudding to go round”

By Reena at ReInventions:
You Better Pay
“I met three more hypocrites today. What is the world coming to?”
“Not much … except that certain people are minting money out of these so-called networking meets.”
“I would like to host the next one, and make these b….s pay for the crap I had to endure.”
(253 characters)

By Kitty at Kitty’s Verses:
That Day
The generous helping of olives reminded Alex of Sue.
Did he feel a gentle tap on his shoulder now? Her affirmation?
Heart attack, the medical reports had concluded.
That fateful morning too, like any other, both of them had gone for their rounds of jogging.
Back-stabbed, was she?
276 characters

By Enzo at Travel, Good Food, Arts and More:
Old Friends
Nelly organised a quick buffet dinner for her friends who wanted to gather and arrange for their outing to Brighton over the weekend. They really enjoyed each other’s company and a bit of group trekking, their unique strong bond as mates needed further nurturing, what a treasure!
(280 characters)

By Kelley at AuthorAnonBlog:
Just a Quiet Dinner Party
Jenny wandered into the kitchen, shielding her eyes against the lights.
Pasta clung to the walls.
Chunks of half melted cheese hung from the ceiling.
Tomato soup pooled on the floor.
The salad sat patiently in the bowl.
And where were her friends?
So much for a quiet dinner party

By Linda at Charmed Chaos:
About Last Night
“Brit, we need to talk.”
Crossing her arms, she said, “Okay, what?”
“Do you remember last night?”
“I got roaring drunk and said some nasty things, so what?”
“Well, we worry about you so… this is an intervention.”
“Seriously? You brought 3 bottles of wine to an intervention?”
Character Count: 280

By Deb at Twenty Four:
When territorial middle aged ladies assemble it can signify trouble, for they may pointedly ignore outsiders to the point of refusing to acknowledge when an unwanted guest has died.
It is recommended that guests should not attend alone but bring others versed in basic first aid.

By Peter at Peter’s Pondering:
Party in perpetuity
Same house,
same party,
same day,
same time.
Every year!
Same laughs,
same jokes,
same lives,
same folks.
Very queer!
Same food,
same plates,
same drinks,
same mates.
Full of cheer!
Not the same,
we died that day,
we come forlorn,
and not to play,
but
shed a tear!
(247 characters)

By JP at JP the Wide-Eyed Wanderer:
Wine and Gossip
Gossip flowed more freely than wine amongst the friends.
“So what’s up with Ted and Sue?”
“She left him”
“Oh too bad.”
“That’s not all, he claims she cursed him, he can’t perform at all now.”
As tittering laughter filled the air, Sue walked in. “Never mess with a witch,” she smiled.
character count 278

By Hayley at The Story Files:
The Party
The engagement party was in full swing and Ren couldn’t be happier. She grabbed a bottle of wine, popped it up and poured the thick, red liquid into a glass.
‘Stop!’ her sister cried.
‘That’s the rare vintage from great-great-grandpa’s vineyard!’
‘Oh! Too late…’

By Rob at Art by Rob Goldstein:
Young Again – The Supper Club
The young friends enjoyed a lavish dinner; then retired to the kitchen to pick at leftovers and laugh about old times. Before they parted, they made a toast to the future and to long and healthy lives. None of them felt the wormhole take them as they ate; none of them remembered the nursing home.
253 Characters

By Sadje at Keep It Alive:
Cindy was excited because it was the first get together of friends at her new apartment. The food was served informally in the kitchen, yummy food and lots of wine. The conversation was flowing smoothly till Kevin said those unpardonable words. “Have you gain weight, Cindy?”
Character count: 274

Sooooo good y’all! I loved your tales last week. Welcome aboard if you’re new to the challenge! For this week, this interesting photo by Zoë Pappas at Pexels.com. What’s happening here? Is it an interview, a business deal or maybe it’s an attorney reading old Uncle Henry’s will! I’ll let you figure it out in 280 characters or less. See you at next week’s roundup! Have fun!

Twittering Tales #145 – 16 July 2019


Photo by Zoë Pappas at Pexels.com

The Deal

“So, Norman. Do we have a deal?”

“Let me get this straight. All’s I need to do is vote for your guy, an’ I get the cash?”

“That’s right.”

“OK! Where do I sign?”

“Right here.”

“Quickest cash I ever made.”

“Now about your soul…”

“My what?! Wait a…”

“Fine print Norman, fine print.”

~kat

276 Characters

78 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Digital Art & Photos, Flash Fiction, Random Thoughts and Musings, Twitter Tales

June 11, 2019

Twittering Tales #140 – 11 June 2019

By Kat Myrman

Twittering Tales
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. This is important as I have noticed that some of the ping backs have not been working. 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 #139 -The Roundup

books-1039985_1280

Photo by Portrait of Tracy at Pixabay.com

Starting us off…

Tea Time
A leaky faucet shattered the silence. Insomnia plagued Hannibal. But this would be his last night in hell. His new book, “A Vintage Tea Party” had earned him freedom.
“Tomorrow afternoon, it’s tea with the ladies,” he smirked, “they’re going to love my savory finger sandwiches.”
~kat
279 Characters

By Fandango at This, That, and the Other:
The Palm of My Hand
“Why did you take your books down from your shelves?” she asked.
“I’m donating them to the local library,” he answered.
“You don’t want them anymore?”
“Nope.”
“Why not?”
“Because I downloaded them all onto my Kindle and now I have my entire collection in the palm of my hand.”
“Cool.”
(278 characters)

By Enzo at Travel, Good Food, Arts and More:
Book Titles
Derrick was trying to make order in the flat and sort the books out that seemed to be Coming Out all over. Some selection criteria were needed to Weed Out the useless books no one would ever read. He knew some Small Sacrifices was needed despite his passion and respect for books.

By Larry at East Elmhurst A Go Go:
Hey, You Never Know
Leo and Sylvia were at the Wyoming Free Library’s book sale. She was smitten by a copy of Jean Anouilh’s ‘Homulus the Mute’. “Get a load of her,” he said. “As a rule her idea of high culture is watching ‘Family Feud.’ Suddenly she’s the queen of the eggheads.”
(263 characters) 

By Reena at ReInventions:
Disappeared
digital libraries
bring so much at our fingertips
but joy of fingers brushing accidentally
on the book covers
shy glances exchanged
before moving away
exchanging books
meeting again to return those
-Disappeared forever…

By Di at Pensitivity101:
‘There are a lot of good titles here. What’s the problem?’
‘None of them are any good.’
‘Really?’
‘Yeah. I can’t find one thick enough to prop the coffee table up.’
161 characters

By Kristian at Tales from the Mind of Kristian:
The Final Dedication
All her life Susan collected the awesome books written by her high-school boyfriend.
His death was reported on the news that morning. Wistfully she picked up his last book. It fell open on the dedication page. The line burned her eyes.
“Dedicated to my first and only love, Susan.”
[280 Characters]

By Sadje at Keep It Alive:
The craziness had to stop. How many books anyone can read or buy! They were running out of room to store them. Today while her husband was gone on another of his book buying expedition, she had arranged a garage sale. “ Going cheap, anyone?”
Character count: 241

By Tessa at Tessa Can Do It:
Books Out Of Control
“Linda what are you doing now? Did you find the negatives from Lucy’s baby pictures?”
“Oh Ron, I found several of my books are undamaged, help me box them up.”
“Where are the negatives,?”
“I haven’t found them yet.”
“We came to rescue the negatives, not books. Come on let’s go!”
275 characters

By Willow at WillowDot21:
Book Titles
Tuesday afternoon, three hundred steps away. Two hours sanctuary at the library, he always has a carer so she’s not worried.
Books don’t ask questions, they don’t get agitated they were quiet.
She smiles chats advises be herself not a carer. Pratchett he made her remember.
(280 Characters)

By Ron at Read 4 Fun:
A Full Life Well Read
Here was a life lived well. Pen names over multiple genres were an excellent disguise. Advice, storytelling, flights of fancy, and explorations of dark thoughts best kept hidden and played out only in the mind, all collected here. As a retired journalist, it’s time to write -30-
280 characters

By Wildchild47 at The Immortals:
The Immortals
Black robed, his cry in the wilderness –
The religion of it, it’s a killing room, filled with the lovers long forgotten, their spent flesh a repast for our feast, _ we honour them in our atonement, this, our wars of the roses.
From the middle distance, we moved towards His Light.

The Well of Lost
the well of lost …
and found – socks, plots, buckets, brooms, spores, sprouts & the crescent moon, et al.

By Lisa at Tao Talk:
Glass
Flo, a quiet millionaire, earns her money through writing dozens of novels that hit the bestseller lists. Only her offshore bank and her agent know that Flo writes under many names. Flo’s multiple personalities, all top writers, demand to be published under their own names.
[276 characters]

By Peter at Peter’s Pondering:
46 to choose from. Therein lay the clue to the lost treasure!
It was all there in the Last Will and Testament of old Aunt Agatha.
She’d written that, in these books, I would find a wealth beyond measure.
Only after finishing “The Great Hunt” did I get it.
Reading was the treasure!
(277 characters)

By Kelley at AuthorAnonBlog:
Waiting
“I’ve read every last one.”
“That one?” Shari nodded to the oldest book in the pile.
“My favorite, it has every spell possible, even one to bring back the dead.”
“Wow.” Shari knew the guy was a fruit loop. “I should get going.”
“So soon? But I’ve been waiting for you for eons.”
Word Count: 53 words – 277 characters

By Lorraine at Lorraine’s Frilly Freudian Slip:
Testing, Testing, Testing…
Kingdom Besieged. War of the Roses. Insomnia. Vintage Tea Party. Kill Room. The Religion. Hannibal, Spartacus, [& the] Emperor [s]. Crown of Swords.
Great hunt for talent is over. Twittering Tales Music Festival is a go. Invite write here on your cellphone. Dune be late!
270

By Deb at Twenty Four:
Marcia sighed, the will had been quite specific and though she really couldn’t see the point, respecting her brother’s request she had set about carrying out his last wishes.
Now that the books were organized she commenced the second stage.
“Ok, who has ticket B12?”
(264 characters)

By Rob at Art by Rob Goldstein:
The Book Party
He arrived at the book party in a trench coat, heavy black boots, and tight jeans. His thick black hair and working class sneer gave him the air of a dashing literary genius, and his fans and lovers took him as one.
No one read his sweaty anxiety and dread.
220 Characters

Thank you everyone for joining last week’s challenge! I do hope you had fun with it. For this week’s challenge I found this interesting photo (I’m hoping it is enhanced! ;)) by nahidhatamiz at Pixabay.com.

I like a good ghost story…do tell, or maybe your tale is about ravens or sunflowers…or black dresses and has nothing at all to do with ghosts. Whatever you see here, just try to keep your character count under 280 characters or less. I’ll see you at the Roundup next week! Have fun! 🙂

Twittering Tales #140 – 11 June 2019

Diversification Strategy

Essie had earned a respectable reputation as a specter. Then came reality TV. Spirits now had to compete with demons for attention.

“Oh Basil, I hate this century!”
“Don’t lose your head over it Essie. Demons bore easily. You’ll see.”
“Brilliant idea!”
“I didn’t mean…oh dear!”

~kat

276 Characters

59 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Flash Fiction, Humor, Random Thoughts and Musings

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