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.

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!

And REMEMBER…you have 280 characters (spaces and punctuation included), to tell your tale…and a week to do it. I can’t wait to see what you create this week.

Twittering Tales #84 – The Roundup

photo by malmanxg at unsplash

Starting us off:

Sylvia peered in the darkness. “Where am I? I know! I must’ve dozed off. Where is everybody? Hello?”
She found the exit door, pushing it open. WHOOSH!
“So bright! What is that? A UFO?!” She turned to rush back in. Too late. The door closed…CLICK!
“Sylvia! Wake up! Movie’s over.”
(278 Characters)

From Reena at ReInventions:
The End
Shucks… the dreaded nightmare of an empty auditorium….
This is what he had feared all his life.
It was the funeral of a well-known politician, with only a few policemen impatiently looking at their watches. He had forged lucrative links with terrorists in his last unglorious years.
(280 characters)

From Deepa at  Sync with Deep:
Knifepoint
Jane’s eyes are glued to the screen.
Her boyfriend’s arm rubs her breast as he reaches for the nachos. She wiggles in her seat.
He emits a piercing cry. His pupils move from side to side signalling Jane.
Sitting at the back with a hooded top, Jane’s hubby gives a wicked smile 🙂 🙂 🙂
(278 characters)

From Fandango at This, That, and the Other:
Rotten Tomatoes
“Are you sure this is the right theater?”
Stan looked at the tickets. “Yes, we’re in the right place.”
“Are we that early?”
“No, we’re right on time.”
“So where is everyone?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did this movie get decent reviews?”
“It got a 12 on Rotten Tomatoes.”
“That explains it all.”
(277 characters)

From Martin at Martin Cororan:
Gallows Humour
In the final moments there was doubt. He steeled himself. Life had been a chore and Rachel wasn’t coming back. This wasn’t even a unique place to jump.
On the way down a tiny light came on: Exit.
Who would ever see such a thing unless in freefall?
‘Huh, that’s pretty fun…’

From Willow at WillowDot21:
Wake up Little Suzie.
This is how Suzie loved the cinema, quite clean and empty. No mess, no smells, no people. She’d hoovered and removed the leftovers and unmentionables! She settled in the comfy leather seat put her feet up and closed her eyes. It was better than going home no one here to hit her.
(279 Characters)

From Michael at Morpethroad:
He was adorable in the dark.
His voice melted my every inhibition,
The touch of his hand was stimulating.
Who cared what the orchestra was playing.
I sat beside the love of my life.
Interval arrived and the lights came up.
There was my apple blossom transformed into Mr Crabapple.
(274 characters)

From D. Avery at ShiftNShake:
Showing
Traffic could be thick in this weather, getting around taking longer than usual. He would give her the benefit of the doubt.
And, actually, she had probably misunderstood the time, thought their date was for the next movie. Yes, that was it.
He would continue to wait.
276 Characters

From Masercot at Potatoes and the Promise of More Potatoes: 
For Sale:  Tickets to Waiting for Godot.  Orchestra seats.  Make offer.

From Hayley at The Story Files:
Sunrise
I embraced the dark, cold theater. Feeling secure despite many people nearby. Tampering down excitement, the pictures came to life, real but yet not real; moving and talking in full colour. Then, I saw the sun rise in all her glory for the first time in a hundred and twenty years.

From Jan at Strange Goings on in the Shed:
Fan
“I’m such a big fan of yours”
“Pleased to hear that. You want me to sign that?”
“Thank you. I loved you in The Seventh Seal”
“Nice to hear”
” If you don’t mind me asking, what’s it like being, Death?”
“Great. Flexible hours and good pension. Here’s my card, see me tomorrow.”
“Thanks!”
(279 characters)

From Deb at Twenty-Four:
He’d thought it would be cool – hiring the whole cinema out … but he was realising that things weren’t that fun when you were alone.
In silence he stared at the exit sign, it was the most interesting thing about this whole stupid escapade.
Maybe he’d head back to school.
(271 characters)

From Indhu at Always:
The First Separation
She sat alone in the theatre, thinking about the most magical day of her life. She could not recall a scene from the movie they saw, for she was too elated! It felt like a beautiful dream.
46 years back, he proposed her right in this row.
“It’s time for the funeral” said her son.
<279 characters>

From Francine at Woman Walks Dog:
Dreams
My favourite place on earth, the Purple Velvet Cinema, palace of dreams. My favourite film Titanic. I’m Rose Dewitt, you’re Jack Dawson.
…” We shall be together for eternity Jack…Rose never let me go…”
Whoa  icy waves, deafening crash, I’m sinking…Get me out of here ! It’s a bad dream, a dreadful dream.. aaaaaaaah !

From Kirst at KirstWrites:
First date? And last! Such a weirdo!
Cinema was deserted except for us! I panicked when I saw those empty seats, and his creepy smile. Gave him a good kick you know where, then ran!
Weird cinema too. As I left I saw a string quartet arriving, and the usherette with some red roses.
(280 characters)

It’s amazing what an empty theatre will conjure up. Thanks to all who gave last week’s Twittering Tale challenge a go of it.

This week is about an old house on the waterfront. If its walls could talk, what tales would they tell you? Have fun weaving your 280 character (or less) tale inspired by this photo by Tama66 at Pixabay.com! See you next week at the roundup!

Twittering Tale #85 – 22 May 2018

Photo by Tama66 at Pixabay.com.

Mistress Possessed

Her once pristine facade had faded in the brackish air, but the elements didn’t bother her. It was those vile humans she couldn’t abide. They were loud, destructive; pelting her walls with nails, stinking up her halls with smoke. This new hoard wouldn’t last long. They never did.
(280 Characters)

~kat

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.

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!

And REMEMBER…you have 280 characters (spaces and punctuation included), to tell your tale…and a week to do it. I can’t wait to see what you create this week.

First things first. We had a late entry from the previous week’s prompt, “The Doors”, from Francine at Woman Walks Dog:
The Rehearsal
Today’s rehearsal is for stage directions.
Romeo enter door 4, Juliet you through door 7 quick kiss exit door 1.
Mercutio enter door 5 call for Romeo, exit door 2.
Juliet poisoned collapse in front of door 2,  Romeo stabbed stagger & fall next to Juliet
Nurse & Mercutio enter door 3 & weep.
All clear now ? It’ll be fine on the night!

Twittering Tales #83 – The Roundup

Photo by Fabio Santaniello Bruun at Unsplash.com

Starting us off…
Lost Soul
Madge got off the bus. She knew the way home on Elm St. but Elm St. was closed. The street sounds blared louder, louder.
The road crew noticed her pacing, repeating, “Elm St. Elm St.” and called police.
Poor Madge was escorted safely home, but she couldn’t recall how she got there.
280 Characters

From Hayley at The Story Files:
Working
Were they digging to the center of the earth? I didn’t know but I just wanted to sleep. The sounds of the drilling vibrated everything, so there was no way to block the noise out. I looked up hotels and moved out for the weekend. Peace at last!

From Michael at Morpethroad:
We’d picked the best place with our taste buds bubbling.
So much expectation, we knew our order.
But in front was our dream in ashes.
Smouldering before our eyes, the chicken, the beef, the special lamb.
We couldn’t believe our eyes, our stomachs cried.
We went next door to Maccas.
(277 characters)

From Reena at ReInventions:
Gratitude
“Hey! This little fella appears to be working hard with you.”
“We saved him once from a conflagration, and he’s been our ally since then.”
“I wish humans showed the same gratitude, as these four legged creatures do….”
(215 characters)

From Deepa at syncwithdeep:
The Stink
I stink
to clean your stink.
I collect your garbage,
and clean your shit.
I am covered with rashes,
And you are covered with robes.
while I wash your stink with water,
you bathe in luxury foam.
I drown in spirits,
to escape the stink.
to keep my family alive,
I clean your stink!
(280 Characters)

From Fandango at This, That, and the Other:
Time For Some Dictation
Her text read, “You should stay in town tonight, honey. The power company has the street torn up and it’s so loud that you’ll never get any sleep tonight if you come home. Love you. See you tomorrow.”
He winked at his secretary. “Can you stay? I have some dick-tation for you.”
(276 characters)

From Team Wellness at World of Wellness:
Oceans Two
The tunnel to the Premium Mobile Store at the corner was ready. They needed to deliver all the mobiles by daybreak…the payoff was good!!!
140 Characters

From Jane at Jane Dougherty Writes:
Fighting Fire
Jim heaved himself through the manhole gasping for breath the fumes of toxic gas billowing around him. Heavy hands on his shoulders stopped him. Harvey.
“Back you go. The fire’s not out yet.”
With a grin Harvey slammed the manhole cover back in place and hurried back to Jim’s wife.
280 Characters

From Willow at WillowDot21:
Well it certainly wasn’t a sinkhole, it was incredibly deep. There was no explanation for this huge hole in the road. Suddenly the machinery stopped, silence engulfed them. Then the pounding started, strange lights shone like arcs into the sky.Tentacles appeared, and so it began.
(280 Characters )

From Leena at Soul Connection:
Trapped
“Its A Long tiring day.Wrkng since morning n now its dark.Dnt evn knw wht we are looking for.”
“Evry1 says they hear strange noise frm underneath.Nw do U See smthng dwn there?”
While evry1 searching below they failed to notice face appeared in smoke above thanking for freeing them.

From at The Dark Netizen:
FALL
“The poor man is mangled beyond recognition.”
“He was neither poor, nor needed recognition. He was mad is what he was.”
“You knew him?”
“Everyone did. That’s Mr. Icarus – mad inventor. He was testing his nuclear jetpack yesterday.”
“Must have flown too high to have fallen so deep.”
Character Count: 280

From Kirst at Kirst Writes:
Werewolf
Humid today, huh? Best time to work, moonlit night. Nobody around neither. Drill down to the gas main and…
You hear that?
Some drunk, is all. Man, this neighbourhood!
No. An animal. Kinda snarling.
Like a werewolf? Awooo!
Ok, c’mon. Hey – there in the steam, see?
It’s coming. Run!
(277 characters)

From Indhu at Always:
The Treasure
“It is been 2 hours since Dave went in. Should we send more men?” asked Dan.
“I am not sure what’s taking him long” said Ron.
Dave dug faster. He has to hurry up before someone finds out. He secured the treasure bag in a pit.
“Hello” said a voice with a gun pressed to his head.
<278 characters>

From Debbie at Twenty-Four:
The call had come late and consequently he was now standing on a dead end street in the middle of the night- tired, cold and hungry.
His boss had gone mental – this was going to inconvenience everyone.
John smiled, being home without water wasn’t his problem this time.
(267 characters)

From Peter at Peter’s Pondering:
Ah, there you are Carruthers! What a marvellous idea it was of yours to build our new listening post below the existing embassy. Unfortunately our excavations have hit a bit of a snag. Seems there is a team of Russian builders already working down there on some project or other!
(279 characters)

Great Roundup this week! Once again, quite a variety of tales. Well done everyone, and thank you for participating. This week’s prompt photo is by malmanxg at unsplash. I think there might be a few good stories here in this dark theatre. Give it a try in 280 characters or less and I’ll see you at the Round-up next week!

Twittering Tales #84 – 15 May 2018

photo by malmanxg at unsplash

Sylvia peered in the darkness. “Where am I? I know! I must’ve dozed off. Where is everybody? Hello?”

She found the exit door, pushing it open. WHOOSH!

“So bright! What is that? A UFO?!” She turned to rush back in. Too late. The door closed…CLICK!

“Sylvia! Wake up! Movie’s over.”

(278 Characters)