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 #134 -The Roundup

Photo by Suzy Hazelwood at Pexels.com

Starting us off…
Bishop and Lowell
“Well, these are the last of them.”
“I can’t believe she kept them. Do you know they wrote to each other for decades?”
“Oh yes! He once said that she was a “muse who makes the casual perfect.”
“It feels strange reading their private letters…”
“Pass ‘em to me then. I’m not shy!”
278 Characters

By The Dark Netizen:
Secret Letters
It was difficult breaking into here, I hope it’s worth it.
A world leader he may be, but his room is just as messy as the next person’s. I guess even his secretary is not allowed in here. Let me look around.
Ah! What’s this now? Military letters? No, Love letters.
What a scandal!
Character Count: 278

By Radhika at Radhika’s Reflection:
The Letters
They had celebrated their silver jubilee anniversary recently, and were an example of a perfect couple still in love.
Her recent death had left him shattered. While clearing her closet, he found a bundle of love letters.
Did he really know her, after all those years together?
Letter count 278

By Lorraine at Lorraine’s Frilly Freudian Slip:
Letters in the Dark
I write you by stroke of midnight; dipping pen into ink of my blood.
“Please forward,” scratched into skin of each envelope.
Should but one not find it’s way, unopened, back to me . . .
Then, will I know I remain yet the shape of your heart.
(247)

By Di at Pensitivity101:
I found them, just as she knew I would. They’re all here, each containing my heart.
I wonder how long she’d known?
114 characters

By Kristian at Tales from the Mind of Kristian:
Hidden Legacy
They found the letters to her lawyer in the old station wagon, in a battered chocolate tin shaped like a carousel.
Covered in dust and cobwebs after the extensive search of the house and yard, he sat down to read them.
His wife called out “Did the old bat say where the Money is?”
[279 Characters]

By Milly at Truly Milly:
A Second Chance
I was looking for a rope in the attic so I can leave this wretched world. Then, I saw a bunch of hidden letters. The messages were full of love and encouragement. After reading, I felt I was given a second chance. I guess I owe it to the “me” who wrote these letters 10 years ago.

By Reena at ReInventions:
Letter and Spirit
I found this when I moved into this house.
What do the pages contain?
Unpublished memoirs.
Are you looking for a publisher?
No, an exorcist. My life has not been the same after reading it.

By Larry at East Elmhurst A Go Go:
Split Personality
“I’ve written a scathing letter to each of my alter egos, Michael,” Tim told his friend. “This has simply got to stop. They’ve destroyed my marriage, alienated my children. My life is over thanks to them. “Have you written one to me?” Michael replied. “I’m one of them.”
275 Characters

By Tien at From the Window Seat:
Story #1: Lover’s Letters
She tied the letters into a thick bundle; within these letters lay her lover’s heart. His words meant nothing; he broke her heart so she burnt the letters containing his heart.
This is how you treat a heartless man, she thought, looking at her lover’s corpse lying at her feet.
(276 characters)

Story #2: The Letters
He found the letters while looking for a nail file in the dressing table; he finally knew the truth behind their misfortune. To think she was capable of such vile act! His very own wife!
Yet, she was unrepentant upon confrontation.
“They’re harmless, dear. All chain letters are.”
(278 characters)

By Regina at Help From Heaven:
Love is Eternal
He wrote, “Your love sustains me.” I sent a letter every day he was at war. Returning, I kidded him if we would have anything to talk about. But, we always found words to say we loved each other. He passed last week. His letters sustain me in this war with grief. Love lives on!
(278 characters)

By Lisa at Tao Talk:
So many things needed to be cleared out of the house before moving to the small apartment. Judging each item’s fate, to death or life, she held the bound letters from the old friend she thought would be with her through life and beyond – and dropped them into the trash.
[271 characters]

By Kate at Everywhere and Nowhere:
Lost Love
Occasionally she would look out the box and get lost in memories. Laughing and crying when she read his words and her heart breaking all over again when she looked at the pile that was returned unopened. Four words on the telegram she would never forget presumed killed in action.
Characters: 280

By Willow at WillowDot21:
All dead.
All those letters left unread
Unseen words of people long dead.
Gathering dust and spider webs
The truth they held seeping, ebbs.
Feelings poured out onto the page
Love, grief joy and rage.
I wonder why these missives were hidden
Where they evidence of love forbidden.
Love long dead.
(277 Characters)

By Tessa at Tessa Can Do It!:
Mom’s memory was gone. She lived in a nursing home and no longer talked. We had been asking her about the letters from Jerry to no avail.
We wondered if he was someone who would need her current location and condition. They weren’t from dad as he was long gone. These were new.
278 characters

By Fandango at This, That, and the Other:
The Letters
“Here!” she said, dropping the bundle of letters on his desk. “Keep them or toss them. It doesn’t matter to me. Everything you wrote in them is bullshit. You said you loved me, begged me to wait for you. I did. But you’re not the same man you were when you wrote these. Goodbye.”
(279 characters)

By Neel at Neel Writes:
LOVE LETTERS
Eyes fall on dust laden stack of love letters.
Mind dumps present; hurtles down memory lane.
I spot her.
There we’re, on a terrace, hands entwined, lips joined, limbs attached.
‘Stop dreaming and take your medicines’.
I’m yanked back to present.
I leave my past.
Her, too.
(280 characters)

By Leara at Leara Writes:
Letters That Keep Me Grounded
I kept them all. Rejection. And I took them to heart.
I used them to build a foundation. I will always remember where I came from because I am standing on it even now.
When the first acceptance letter came I reread them. When more rejection letters come I will add them to the pile.
CC 280

By Anurag at Jagadilmein:
Redundant
No one needs a postman anymore.
Not his customers, the billions of hearts he used to connect to each other.
Not his employer, the Govt., which now looks upon him as a redundancy.
And not even his own family, it appears…or they would have paid me the ransom I was asking for him.
280 characters.

By Peter at Peter’s Pondering:
Special Delivery
There was no such thing as first and second class post then, all letters were important.
These, especially.
They explained why Daddy had to go away; why he couldn’t return.
Sadly, they never arrived, having been stolen by a dishonest postman.
Found 20 years later.
Delivered too late!
(280 characters)

By Ron at Read4Fun:
Bully Up to the Barr
John collected the letters to send later; they would arrive home before him. Sad and embarrassed, he detailed the reasons for meeting someone new. It was the war, you know. Graves Registration sent her recovered effects. Jane cried as her husband read the letters for her aloud.
279 characters

By Margo at That Little Voice:
Memories Remain
Your letters didn’t lessen the pain of your absence, nor alleviate my longing.
I grew lost in grief, and elevated in desire.
I hope you received my letters about Bernard. He was here and available. You were not.
I waved goodbye in the picture.
Thanks for the memories.

Wonderful Roundup everyone! Thank you to all who penned a tweet of a tale in response to that stack of letters. For this week I selected this amazing photograph by JPlenio at pixabay.com of a storm rolling in over a Canada skyline. At least it looks like a storm…or could it be an alien invasion (I know how some of you love that topic 😉)…or the apocalypse? Whatever you see, please consider telling the tale in 280 characters or less (title not included) and I’ll see you at the roundup next week…or at least I hope I will. There’s a storm a comin’! A final note, be sure to link you tale in the comments. pingbacks are acting a little wonky lately. 😊

Twittering Tales #135 – 7 May 2019

Photo by jplenio at Pixabay.com

A Little Rain…

“They’re calling it the storm of the century. I’m telling you, we need to get to the shelter…now!”

“You go on. Ain’t nothin’ but a thunder storm. People go crazy over a little rain!”

“Come over here. Look. You call that a thunder storm?”

“Holy crap! Where’s that shelter again?!”

~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. 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 #132 -The Roundup

Photo by Luis Quintero on Unsplash.com

Starting us off…

Pay Phone
“What’s that Gran?”
“Oh that? Well, for a quarter you could call someone and talk to them.”
“So it’s a phone?”
“Yes! I even remember when it only cost a dime!”
“Why would anyone pay?”
“Oh Sarah!” Gran laughed, “that was before smart phones!”
“Wow! That must’ve been a looong time ago!”
279 Characters

By The Dark Netizen:
Payphone
This payphone.
All those years ago, I remember I would stand here and call her. She used to stay in the adjoining building. We would sneak chats whenever we could. One day, a great fire broke out here. She didn’t survive.
I can still listen to her voice, on the payphone receiver…
Character Count: 280

By Deepa at Sync With Deep:
Hello….
I
dial the number..
I hear
my heart beat
entwined
in every ring..
answer me.. won’t you?
Hello….
all my bruises
melt away
hearing your
grainy voice.…

By Di at Pensitivity101:
See how the casing is burnt, yet the handset and cable are unscorched?
The fire was deadly, yet amazingly the line still worked, so they just replaced the damaged parts.
169 characters

By Reena at ReInventions:
Courtship
“This is the phone from which your Grandpa called Grandma before they got married. And they wrote letters on paper with a pen….”
“How quaint! I could have three relationships in the time they took for courtship.”

By Kate at Everywhere and Nowhere:
museum of history
‘Dad is this what it really looked like?’
‘Well it’s before my time but yes, I’m sure your Grandad showed me a picture of one once.’
‘But it’s so dirty.’
‘Well it was outside so that anyone could use it and I don’t think they had people to clean them.’
‘Outside and communal, yuck!’
Characters: 278

By Kristian at Tales from the Mind of Kristian:
A Fateful Phone Call
As she saw the phone memories flooded back. Standing frantically dialing for assistance while outside a man pulled out a knife.
Her world changed that day.
Luckily, the police came in time, the Phone Box Killer was caught and she ended up marrying the policeman that rescued her.
[279 Characters]

By Willow at WillowDot21:
Phone box
The last rays of the sun lit the payphone bronze. Through the dirty window the pool still looked blue. Letters scratched into the glass their meaning long forgotten. Another abandoned motel in the middle of nowhere. No money to use the phone but there was no one to answer it.
(276 characters)

By Tien at From the Window Seat a new tweeter who couldn’t stop at just one:
Story #1: Who called?
I was a sobbing mess. The call dropped the moment she picked up. This was the fifth time. I hung up before picking up the handset again.
Someone tapped on the glass window and I peered out, tears obscuring my vision.
“Oh, for god’s sake, put in a quarter before you start dialling!”
(280 characters)

Story #2: What Superman?
“Help! Help me please!”
His hypersensitive ears detected that desperate cry four blocks away. Instinctively, he took off his glasses as he looked around for a payphone booth. Bewildered, he looked around harder.
Not a single one nearby!
It was really tough to be Superman these days.
(280 characters)

By Fandango at This, That, and the Other:
Relic
“Why are you stopping the car?” Ana asked.
Luis pointed to a tall, narrow glass enclosure. “That’s a phone booth,” he said.
“A phone booth?” Ana said. “I didn’t know they still had phone booths in the city.”
“Exactly,” Luis said. “That’s why I need to stop and take a picture of it.”
(280 characters)

By Teresa at The Haunted Wordsmith:
Make the Call
His fingers played with the business card as he debated one last time whether he wanted to make the call or not–or if this was even real. No phone number, but he knew the code. He read the card again, “Prime digits for a new life.” He left the card for the next sucker.

By Graham at Graham is Just my Name:
The tips of my fingers felt soiled contemplating the greasy buttons.
I cringed, reaching for a clean white handkerchief.
The phone rang.
I held the handset well away from my ear.
“Deep breaths.
Tomorrow no handkerchief.
Repeat after me.
OCD is treatable.“

By John at The Magic Shop:
Last Call
It was winter again and he was freezing. But, he had a job to do and that’s all that mattered. He couldn’t let anyone answer the phone. It had been ringing continuously for so long now, that he lost track of time. He just knew that if that call was ever picked-up, it would mean the end of the world.
300 Characters

By Susan at Susan’s Place:
That’s a Phone?
Outside, it was rainy, weather, you didn’t want to be out in. Inside this little bar was a different story. The place was packed, the drinks flowing. A guy tapped me on the shoulder asking if they could use my phone. Pointing to the front door I said there’s a payphone right there. Looking confused, I said, come on, I’ll show you how to use it.
Characters 280

By Larry at East Elmhurst.A.Go.Go:
That Was Yesterday and Yesterday’s Gone
It’s 1970 and I’m in St. Gabriel’s. Brother James and Brother Edmond are finished with glee club practice so I have to call my parents. I reach for the phone and wake up to the sound of my cell phone. My parents are deceased. Those Brothers are now on my Facebook friend list.

By Sadje at Keep It Alive:
It is a relic of the past standing on the corner
Waiting for someone to step in and put a few coins
In the slot and dial a number
Wanting to talk to a loved one
Or sharing some urgent news
This is how life was in those days of the past
When even news traveled in a moderate pace
No rushing or chasing around trying to catch our own tail!
Character count; 266

By Tessa at Tessa Can Do It!:
I was in a bad part of town, I pulled out my phone to call for help. I dropped the phone and it broke. Useless!
Looking around I spotted an old pay phone. I searched frantically for a coin to use, wondering if the phone was still working. Dropped in a coin. I heard a dial tone.
277 characters

By Milly at Truly Milly:
All Your Secrets
No one uses me anymore ever since they invented the smartphone and the internet. Someday, I’ll get revenge by telling the world all the secrets from all the conversations I’ve listened to. Who cheated on who. Who murdered who.
Someday, this old payphone will get revenge.

By Anuarg at Jagadilmein:
Kids These Days!
I hunted around for a coin, but nothing….I was as broke as I’d been this morning.
“Wouldn’t happen to have a quarter on ya, would ya?” I asked the girl.
The unreasonable brat just stared at me.
How on earth was I supposed to contact her Dad for ransom if I couldn’t call him up?
280 characters.

By Neel at NeelWritesBlog:
MOVING ON…
Will he, won’t he?
Trapped in a maze of conflicting thoughts, she stupefyingly stared at the phone booth even as a bumble bee of office goers brushed past.
Finally, emotion won over reason___she stabbed the numbers.
No response.
‘Bastaard’ The words were a spat.
It’s time to move on.
280 Characters

By Deborah at A Wise Woman’s Journey:
Waiting To Exhale
After staying up all night to muster up the courage
to make the most important call of her life,
she left a message and stood outside
the booth staring at the phone
waiting in silent, bated breath for the phone
to ring and hear love return her call…
so she could finally exhale.
Character Count:  278

By Peter at Peter’s Pondering:
The emergency survival packs had been set up for years, they were all over the city.
They held weapons, ammunition, water, food, and a radio.
Each agent had a unique access code to punch in on the keyboard, and a voice code to verify.
What the hell was the cat’s name I’d chosen?
(279 characters)

By Ennle at Abandoned Aminities:
No Connections
The dream recurred
Over and over, in which
I tried to call my mom but
Could never get through;
Problems with the line or
I had the number wrong;
She didn’t answer or
Couldn’t hear me.
Decades later I realized
The dream was telling me
She and I would never
Connect…it wasn’t
About the phone.

By JP at JP the Wide-Eyed Wanderer:
Deserted
The streets were deserted. The city was deserted. Tarna had passed through many places on her journey south, all the same, deserted. Tarna knew there would be few survivors of the war, still she had hoped to find someone. Tarna’s eyes fell on an old pay phone. It was ringing.

By Daisy at DaisiesDotMe:
The Haunted Booth
On a rainy night, locating a dilapidated booth in the market corner, he scurried to make an urgent call. Just as his wet hands grabbed the receiver to dial, a voice at the other end said
“Hello! I was waiting for you “!
A cold sweat trickled, sending shivers down his spine!
(274 characters)

By John at Broadsides:
The phone booth was kept by the detectives. It had been used to give the warning. “This is the IRA. There is a bomb timed to explode in 30 minutes. It is in a bar used by your soldiers outside Chelsea barracks. The codeword is Shamrock.” There were three bars, we never had enough time…

By Radhika at Radhika’s Reflection:
Darn….
My car broke down, my phone was dead. Stranded in an area away from civilization, I started walking to find help. Suddenly spotted a payphone. I prayed and inserted a coin. Couldn’t believe my luck when I heard the dial tone. But darn…
I couldn’t remember a single number!
Letter count : 278

By Deb at Twenty Four:
Mandy must have been desperate to try the old pay phone at the corner of Main and First, or that was the conclusion they had arrived at.
Desperate about what, you ask. Well, they had never reached a consensus about that and now it was too late.
She committed suicide you see.
(275 characters)

By Indhu at Always:
The Game
Sam reached the lane as per the chit in his hand. There was an unused old phone booth.
He found a number on the dirty glass pane of the booth. He dialed it. He could barely hear the voice. He noted down the cryptic message.
“I love treasure hunts!” he shouted as he hurried out.
<277 characters>

By Ron at Read4Fun:
Co-ed bathrooms are OK, but Super Woman will hate it. There used to be doors from foot to taller than me. Who decided we should be publicly visible from the groin down? And who woulda’ thought aliens can write? In the interests of modesty, we will just have to be more cape-able.
279 characters

By Namitha at The Cosmo Dame:
Is it important?
“What is this, Mama?”
“It’s a phone, to call someone you miss”
“Why do you have go away from someone whom you know you will miss, mama”
“It’s a struggle for name and fame!”
“Is it that important, Mama?”
Character count: 202

The old Payphone had quite a few stories to tell! Well done everyone! Thank you for helping to make this the biggest round up yet. And welcome to our newest tweetertalers. We’re so glad you gave it a go! I hope everyone had fun! For this week, in honor of Earth Day, a photo by WikiImages at Pixabay.com that gives us a celestial view of our beloved blue planet. What’s going on in this photo…or maybe the question should be, what’s going on below? The possibilities are infinite! Tell us your tale in 280 characters or less and I’ll see you when we land next week at the roundup. Most of all, have fun! 3-2-1 lift off! It’s gonna be a blast!

Twittering Tales #133 – 23 April 2019

It’s all fun and games until…

“How do you get a baby astronaut to go to sleep? Rocket…What do planets like to read? Comet books! I got more…”

“Enough jokes Smitty. Just get the antenna redirected and…”

“Hey guys, how do you say hello in Martian?”

“No more jokes!”

“I’m not joking guys. We’ve got company!”

~kat

278 Characters