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 #110 – The Roundup

By KleineKiwi at Pixabay.com

Starting us off…

In an Alternative Universe…
How Insulting!
What’s insulting?
Isn’t it enough that they count us one by one to help them sleep? We’re not boring. Am I boring?
Not even.
They sheer us for our wool.
Some of them eat us!
Right! But now they’re comparing ‘trumpsters’ to us. I’m mean really!
What’s the world coming to?
~kat
280 Characters

By Reena at ReInventions:
Inefficiency
“Let us migrate.”
“Why?”
“What do we do about human inefficiency? I can’t stand with this hundred pounds on me. And these guys have forgotten to shear me. I hope to find better people to assist us, in another village…”
(216 words)

By The Dark Netizen:
Experiment
Rise and shine!
Time to check how my successful experiment is doing. Ah! There she is. Good morning Dolly.
WHAT THE HELL!
Why are there so many Dolly clones here? We had only tested it once yesterday.
Is that Dolly using the cloning machine?
Uh Oh! This can’t be good for us.
RUN!!!
(Read more about Dolly the cloned sheep here)
Character Count: 280

By Di at Pensitivity101:
Ssh. They’re coming.
I know.
Are you ready?
Baah!
Dammit! It was my turn to say that!
81 characters.

By Kristian at Tales from the Mind of Kristian:
Mindless Sheep
As they peered into the cage, one animal glanced back.
The creature spent most of its time staring into its hand, it only looked up briefly.
“To think, they were once considered the most intelligent animals on earth” said the Sheep to its family before moving to the next cage.
[278 Characters]

By Fandango at This, That, and the Other:
Shear Delight
“Don’t worry, little one,” the old ewe said. “You will feel a lot more comfortable once they cut off all of that thick wool. It’s getting too warm to keep that heavy coat on.”
“Will it hurt?” the little lamb asked.
“Not if you don’t look in the mirror for a few months,” she said.
(278 characters)

By Violet at Thru Violet’s Lentz:
Ruminating
“Baby?”
“You know I love you right?”
“Come here.”
“Aw Baby come on.”
Silence.
“Could you at least look at me? How can I make you believe it’s all about you if you won’t even look at me?”
“Oh, you better believe I know it’s all about ewe, that’s exactly why I refuse to look at you.”
278 characters

By Hayley at The Story Files:
The new pills were causing sleepless nights. Kim tried the traditional counting method; a wooden gate and sheep jumping over. Then a wolf, huge and grey, mouth red. Kim’s eyes snapped open, she heard a loud growling within her bedroom. She turned on the light and knew she wasn’t alone.

By Willow at WillowDot21:
Bahaha!
“Who are ewe? new here?”
“We’re trinity.”
“Well you’re welcome to join our flock.”
“Thanks but we have heaven to run.”
“Why you here?”
“Aup! Ladies is this a new shepherd?”
“No I am said trinity. That’s lost boy Azriel.”
Gabriel was tearing his hair out to the sound of Satan’s laugh!
(278 Characters)

By Shweta at My Random Ramblings:
Be Cruel to be Kind
Alerted by the sound of approaching feet, whatever remained of the flock exchanged panic-stricken looks.
The humans were back. Again!
The drug trials were claiming more lives than ever.
Each time, they were assured that the formula was finally perfected.
But the trials never stopped.
(280 characters)

By Teresa at The Haunted Wordsmith:
Really, Now
The young human thought she was in charge. The idea that she could raise and show us at the local fair was laughable at best. All summer, we waited and plotted. Soon, the young one would learn who was really in charge. They would all learn. Then it will be us shaving puny humans.
280 Characters

By D L Starlight at Somewhere Sea:
blah-blah-baa-aa
We came here together, we’ll stay together…
No matter how strange the neighbors are.
We must show grace, not everyone is like us…
Sheep get criticized dear, you know that.
We’ll vow to take the high road, reflect our
Creator’s best, not be petty.
No frowns now, honey, Smile Bigger.
280 Characters

By IndieShe:
“The mother and its offspring is a tale that crosses all boundaries of species.
A mother loves her baby,her replica. She hovers around it casting a protective sheath.
Her baby is her golden fleece.
She cherishes it,nurtures it.
Her child tells the story of her life”
(261 characters)

By Deb at Twenty Four:
The place was perfect, set on a high bluff overlooking the beautiful bay, I couldn’t have asked for more. There was only one problem though and I knew I was going to have to turn down the find of the century.
It was the sheep you see – they didn’t like me.
(256 characters)

By Peter at Peter’s Pondering:
Laura the lamb was really embarrassed. 
Late for school, yet again!
It was bad enough that her Mum insisted on taking her every day, always waiting outside the gates, there for everyone to see.
No other Mum had 2 bodies;  and why did the legs always try to go in different directions?
(280 characters)

By Ron at Read 4 Fun:
Feeling sheepish because we didn’t make it in time, we didn’t vote. We wanted to break tradition and not follow the wooly thinking of humans. It’s not us, but the country, that got fleeced. Ewes know, it’s up to the young generation now. But all we hear is silence from the lambs.
280 Characters

By Jon at Broadsides:
We appeal to you, have you seen our little lamb, we are searching every which way for him. He was last seen following Mary. Mary had a knife and we are desperately concerned. He is easy to spot, he has a fleece as white as snow. If you see anything please contact detective inspector Shepard as soon as possible.

By Leena at Soul Connection:
The Sheepish Thought
“Wht they wnt to copy frm us nw?”
“Who?”
“They r clicking us withot our permission”
“Seems we need to copywrite our style”
“You are right.”
“They already tryng to look lyk us by mkng faces while clickng selfies,we kpt quiet.Nw we need ths to stp smwhr”
“True.Humans r imitating us 2mch”

By Piyali at Piyali’s Blogs:
Counting Sheep
I love those unexpected moments when I am lying awake in bed counting sheep, a brilliant idea strikes me and then I drift off to sleep with a resolve to write it the next day. Wake up next morn only to realize I forgot it all&then I beat myself up for not writing it down last night.

By JPP at  The Wide-Eyed Wanderer:
New Zealand Sheep
Mary stared at the cage “Queer lookin lot today what?”
“Oh look Maerre, they’re taking our photo!”
Harry laughed as he turned around and raised his tail.
“Instagram THIS Tourist!” he called wagging his butt back and forth.
Character count 223

By Trollekar:
Sheep are not smart. Sheep are slow. Sheep are fluffy. Sheep are prey.
Sheep get slaughtered.
Humans are apex predators. Humans desire, humans lust, humans envy, humans betray.
Humans kill.
The sheep know no such emotions. They are above such trivialities.
The sheep smile at us.
(276 characters)

Awesome week of Twittering Tales! Ewe wooly outdid yourselves. Tee hee…bah ha hah! Going to shut the flock up and dive into this week’s photograph of a well by mh-grafik at pixabay.com. Is it a wishing well? Or something more sinister. Tell me, tell me, tell me, me, me… do! And have fun! That’s the most important thing! Enjoy! I’ll see you at the roundup.

Twittering Tales # 111 – 19 November 2018

By mh-grafik at pixabay.com

How We Came to Be

The old well had dried up years ago, but that didn’t stop the stream of dreamers with pockets full of pennies from seeking it out. It was said, if your coin plopped instead of plunked when it hit bottom, your wish would come true. I made a wish one rainy day. My wish was you.

~kat ❤️

278 Characters

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 #109 – The Roundup

Photo by Glamazon at Pixabay.com

Starting us off:

Broken Memories
“Isn’t my Charlie handsome?” Granny swooned. “We met at the USO you know. He was a sergeant and I had volunteered to serve coffee and donuts.”
“What is she talking about,” Stu asked his mom, “there’s no picture there.”
“Shhh. Mind your manners Stu. Don’t be rude.”
“But…”
“Hush…”
~kat
279 Characters

By Reena at ReInventions:
Extinct
One by one, the awards and certificates lose significance. Values move on to a different level.
I am in search of that one new thing which can be framed to define my life. But then, I realize I need a hi-tech kaleidoscope of moving images. Photo frames are now a thing of the past.
(280 characters)

By The Dark Netizen:
Don’t Peek
It has existed for many years.
Every subsequent generation is told about the mirror. How it is to remain undisturbed and untouched, no peeking. But, every generation has one inquisitive one. My little had brother removed the white sheet and peeked into it.
He is still inside….
Character Count: 278

By Michael at Morpethroad:
Gran placed fresh flowers every day beside the last image she had of Grandad.
She said he loved flowers, she felt an obligation to honour him in that way.
We puzzled over what she saw.
Grandad had been dead years, they never got on we thought.
He had his ways she’d say when we asked.
(280 Characters)

By Kristian at Tales from the Mind of Kristian:
She always kept flowers by the frame to remind her of the person who’d meant more to her than anyone, someone she’d lost years ago.
Placing the fresh flowers in the vase, her reflection caught in the mirror frame.
Then, putting on her façade, she went out into the world.
[271 Characters]

By Fandango at This, That, and the Other:
Hell Hath No Fury
“What happened to the picture of you and Dad in that silver frame on the side table?” Ann asked her mother.
“Sweetie, I found out that your dad’s been cheating on me, so I threw out the photo and when that bastard comes home from work I’m gonna smash his head in with the frame.”
(278 characters)

By Jane at Jane Dougherty Writes:
So many have gone, so many faces. She could paper a wall with their photos. She places flowers by a single picture frame, leaves it empty. Her memory provides the images.

By The Haunted Wordsmith:
Showcase Home
Everything was showcase ready. Everything perfect and pristine. After working hard for thirty years to afford the perfect home and high-end objects; her dream became reality. Few saw what was missing. She did. How couldn’t she? An empty picture frame matched her empty heart.
276-characters

By Di at Pensitivity 101:
‘You will always have flowers. Just take a picture and put it in this frame. Next day they will be real.’
And they were, just as Merlin promised.
144 characters

By Hayley at The Story Files:
Frame
I saw the small photo frame in a charity shop and decided it would do to put in the wedding gift box. I was determined not to spend the small fortune my sister was demanding people did on presents. I had my own wedding to save up for as well.

By Willow at WillowDot21:
“What, d’you mean he’s removed all photos from earth.” God was in no mood for riddles. Gabriel had that pained look that Michael and St Peter had grown to fear.
Satan, knee deep in photos giggling happily. “All I asked Azriel to do was to put me in the picture.”Gabriel screamed.
(278 Characters)

By Peter at Peter’s Pondering:
Away with the fairies
Mary placed fresh flowers by the picture frame every Friday, the day that her 4 year old son had jumped into the picture.
He’d always insisted that the fairies talked to him, and said he could join them. She’d played along, and said how lovely it would be.
She regretted that now!
(280 characters)

By Hélène at Willow Poetry:
Every morning was the same ritual.
Kiss an empty frame, offer flowers and a prayer.
I asked her who she idolized.
“Me!” she said.
“See my reflection, there?
I don’t see my crippled body in that reflection, only my face.
Normally all I see is my disability and can’t see Me.”
(278 characters)

By Schaap Schrifjt (Sheep Writes) at mijn hoofd is vol, letters dansen op papier (My Head is Full, Letters are Dancing on Paper):
Beauty
No matter how much make-up I’ll wear
or how skinny I am;
the mirror will not picture me beautiful.
I’m the only one who can.

By Ramya at And Miles to Go Before I Sleep:
The Mirror
Previously, mirrors were the mode of communication.
Holding the mirror in hand, one would talk with loved and dear ones.
Now, it’s just an empty frame.
Magic become Science.
The mirror is now being used in smartphones for video calls..
Character Count – 232

By Schweta at My Random Ramblings:
Void
On their first wedding anniversary, they got a beautiful, silver photo frame.
Years later, he still can’t bring himself to get rid of it.. the only physical reminder of her.
The flowers beside it never wilted, unlike his marriage
The frame remained empty, much like his broken heart.
(280 characters)

By Kirst at Kirst Writes:
Empty Frame
You can’t see it?
What? A man in white on a snowy day?
You can laugh, but I see it watching me. And I hear it, whispering late at night. It won’t let me move the frame.
I smirk after her as she leaves the room. Daft old bat, my Gran. Wait – was that a whisper?
(280 characters. Boom.)

By Deb at Twenty Four:
She had placed a lot of trust in her daughter to look after the shop while she was on leave and it appeared the other had risen to the occasion, Julie decided as she turned a corner only to pause aghast. A frame without a picture, perhaps her faith had been misplaced after all.
(272 characters)

By Deepa at Sync With Deep:
Faceless
candlelight dinner date
romantic movie nights
liberating coffee breaks
bouquet of roses
I finally found love
in faceless photos

By The Indie She:
She stared at the empty frame, a replica of void in her life.
Her loved ones whom she had given her all had robbed her of all hues. She was a blank canvas awaiting a splash of colours.
But she swathed herself in pink and purple blossoms that lent her hope and new shades of life.
(277 characters)

By Trollekar:
He bought the frame
For that one dame
Who would be his only soulmate
But no woman he met
Was so perfect
So he let them all go away
Now the frame lies empty
And he lives in self pity
For the love that he never found
Still not realizing
He could still find it
If he just took a look around
(276 characters)

Another great round! We have several newcomers! Welcome. I hope you’ll join us again. I post everyone’s tale here so everyone can read them all in one place. It never ceases to amaze me how many twists and turns one photograph can inspire. But there are links to everyone’s sites. Be sure to check each other’s blogs out. That’s the best part about challenges. Meeting new bloggers. Being inspired!

This week, I’m challenging you with a photo of a couple of sheep by KleineKiwi at Pixabay.com. Maybe they were the last thing you saw before taking a deep dive into REM and a nightmare! Or maybe the protagonist in your story is lost midst a flock of these fellows. Or…these two have a thing or two to say. What would a sheep say if a sheep could speak? I hope you have fun this week. I’ll see you at the Round-up. Happy Tweeting!

Twittering Tales #110 – 13 November 2018

By KleineKiwi at Pixabay.com

In an Alternative Universe…
How Insulting!
What’s insulting?
Isn’t it enough that they count us one by one to help them sleep? We’re not boring. Am I boring?
Not even.
They sheer us for our wool.
Some of them eat us!
Right! But now they’re comparing ‘trumpsters’ to us. I’m mean really!
What’s the world coming to?

~kat
280 Characters

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 #108 – The Roundup

Starting us off:
Something was horribly wrong.
Lizzy rushed over to a fellow in a white suit with a clipboard. “Is this hell? Or purgatory? Surely this is not…”
“Heaven? Why, yes it is, Lizzy. ”
Then, she recognized a face. “Pastor Phillips?”
“Hi Lizzy. You’re just in time for potluck and bingo!”
~kat
280 Characters

By The Dark Netizen:
She walked through the crowded street, unnoticed by passers by. She walked on, among the crowd, wondering if it made any difference whether she was alive or dead in this crowd? Did these people exist for each other? Or were they all wandering wraiths like her?
Cursed to live on…
Character Count: 280

By Reena at ReInventions:
Loneliness
loneliness
in sea of people
I struggle
to find
familiarity
become stranger to myself

By Fandango at This, That, and the Other:
Alone
Jan had been talking to a guy at a local bar. He must have slipped something into her drink because she couldn’t remember how she got here.
As she looked around at the throng of people milling about in the alleyway, she realized that she didn’t know a soul. She felt totally alone.
(280 characters)

By Teresa at The Haunted Wordsmith:
Secrets
They had secrets. Secrets she wanted. Secrets she needed. It all started a year ago with a bet. A stupid, silly bet that she never expected would result in this. Today was her deadline. It was their secrets or her soul. She had collected from everyone there. All except one.
273-character

By Deepa with Sync With Deep:
Alone
am I being
all alone
or
being alone
among the crowd?

By Kristian at Tales from the Mind of Kristian:
Intolerance to Blue
She was a rebel amongst the crowd.
The new regime banned colour and the conformist crowd wore grey. She wore her blue denim like a badge proclaiming her independence.
The small crowd, like a rivulet of bodies, carried her on, to her trial.
Independence was not tolerated.
[272 characters]

By Jane at Jane Dougherty Writes:
Time Warp
We’ve all had that feeling of being the odd one out, the sore thumb, and when you can’t change your clothes from what you were wearing when you fell under a bus leaving Woodstock, you take it beyond the grave.

By Di at Pensitivity 101:
The noise was deafening.
So many voices, so much confusion, so many lost souls.
How could she help them all?
106 characters

By Michael at Morpethroad:
It didn’t seem right. Diagon Alley wasn’t meant to feel so lonely when surrounded by so many.
She knew it was the dark forces, black spells had taken over.
She searched for a well-known landmark but like a nightmare there was none.
She saw him in the distance, Harry? Is it you?

By Willow at WillowDot21:
Fade to Grey.
“Five minutes,” Jo said,”don’t move.” That was an hour ago. She hated shopping,felt so uneasy in a crowd.
Around people, just grey blobs to her. She was jostelled. Why had he taken her cane?
A lead was put in her hand.”Let’s start your training.” A new voice said. “Surprise”said Jo
(280 Characters)

By Melanie at Sparks from a Combustible Mind: Newcomer Melanie shared a great 278 word tale inspired by the photo. While I don’t have room to post the whole thing here, click on her blog site link and read it for yourself. 🙂

By Deb at Twenty Four:
It had seemed such a great opportunity when they pitched it to her but now, she was forced to reconsider.
She was but a face in the crowd, they passed her by without a thought and for the first time she felt alone.
Who would have known being an extra could be so stressful?
(272 characters)

By Anurag at Jagahdilmein:
Distress Signal
The bustling bazaar came to a standstill as Jane’s entire body suddenly lit up, like she was on the verge of going up in flames.
Jane looked up in disgust, and then, adjusting her earpiece subtly, grumbled, “I didn’t ask for a laser beam, you ass. I said- Beam me up, Scotty!”
275 characters.

By Peter at Peter’s Pondering:
The Happening
It was a strange community.
They never seemed to get together, or even to communicate at the most basic level, until someone suggested they arrange a happening.
Maisie keenly arranged it all.
Just what is a happening? Jack asked.
Think of it as a play, she said.
With (280 characters!)

Wonderful tales this week! This week there is an empty photo frame and a vase of flowers. Tell me a story. Add your own photo to the frame. Most of all, have fun in 280 characters or less. I’ll see you at the Roundup!

Twittering Tales #109 – 6 November 2018

Photo by Glamazon at Pixabay.com

Broken Memories

“Isn’t my Charlie handsome?” Granny swooned. “We met at the USO you know. He was a sergeant and I had volunteered to serve coffee and donuts.”

“What is she talking about,” Stu asked his mom, “there’s no picture there.”

“Shhh. Mind your manners Stu. Don’t be rude.”

“But…”

“Hush…”

~kat

279 Characters