Tag Archives: Twitter Tales

Twittering Tales #88 – 12 June 2018

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About the challenge: Each Tuesday I will provide a photo prompt. Your mission, if you choose to accept the challenge, is to tell a story 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 #87 – The Roundup

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Photo by jplenio at Pixabay.com

Starting us off…

The Whistleblower
Charlie regretted joining the agency. At first the climate experiments were exciting, but they had taken it too far. He locked his office, drove past the security gate, pulling off the road to call the authorities. A super storm was brewing. He hoped it was not too late.
273 Characters

From Martin at Martin Cororan:
I Hades when he does that…
‘Found you!’
‘God this game’s rubbish…and rigged! I’m the perpetually anger Lord of the Underworld, surrounded at all times by a fiery cloud, and you can change form at will.’
‘Nevertheless, it’s my turn to hide.’

From Fandango at This, That, and the Other:
Eruption
“I know it’s beautiful and breathtaking,” the ranger said, “but your family needs to evacuate this area. It’s just too dangerous. These things are unpredictable and if this eruption continues, the molten lava could reach this area quickly. Volcanoes are not to be trifled with.”
(278 characters)

From Reena at ReInventions:
Priority
“I’ve often wondered what the core of a volcano looks like. How does it feel to be carrying flames of angst for centuries?”
I guess it is too late, as the tongues are out to swallow us.”
“What could have instigated it?”
Writers and philosophers cannot save their own life….” Sigh

From Piyali at The ‘Write’ Stuff:
Rage
Staring calmly at the still waters, she took a deep agonizing breath. A storm was slowly brewing inside her. “It’s time to unleash what you’ve been suppressing for so long!” whispered her heart. Somewhere on the horizon, a cluster of clouds roared in a fiery rage.
265 characters

From Teresa at The Haunted Wordsmith:
They Came
We heard tales of their arrival from Northern survivors. We didn’t believe. Who would? As survivors began coming from closer cities, we became scared. We fled. I turned to take the last image of our great city as they destroyed it. Furious, there was no food left for them.
273 characters

From Team Wellness at World of Wellness:
Heaven!!
He further inquired, God – Can you show me heaven??
He felt himself floating, detached from his physical body, and this is where he stood, mesmerized by what he saw and felt.
He heard some voices too, whispering softly…Honey…Honey…Wake up!!
Charactcter Count – 250

From Francine at Woman Walks Dog:
Vision
Mr Lucifer here for your annual eye test  look at the letters on the screen read them to me
T  H  E     E  N  D    O  F
Goodness Mr Lucifer ! Now look at the circle on the screen   do you see more green or red ? That’s unusual,  no circle  just a flaming red  turbulent sky ? Lets look at the letters again
T  H  E       W   O  R  L  D     I  S      N  I  G  H

From Michael at Morpethroad:
The universe was displeased.
It burped, spitting out some time.
A year to prove the earth was worth something.
There was conflict, rubbish said some, hurry said others before its too late.
The universe watched and rumbled once more.
Sucked in a breath, said you’ve 364 days left.
(274 characters)

From Jane at Jane Dougherty Writes:
Narcissus
The god of the apocalypse bent down, intrigued by the fiery reflection in the still lake water. His beard brushed the mirror with a hiss, and the lake water dolphin-leapt joyfully, quenching the fire in the sky. Nature smiled.
“It’s not your time yet.”
250 Characters

From Hayley at The Story Files:
Storm Sea
The sky looked angry as the storm rolled in. I watched the clouds from my fishing boat and decided to return to the harbour. The choppy sea and pouring rain slowed me down but I made it back as the first rumble of thunder echoed.
I hurried from my boat on to the wooden dock and tied her up. Looking back, I saw a fork of lighting striking the top of a large wave. Flickers of electric current rode the water, zinging their way to shore. I got out of there, dashing for the shelter of home.

From Clara at Fragments of Fiction:
An Ending
In the end, there was only a flooded planet and dying star.
“It was good,” the sun sank towards the sea, her former inferno reduced to a flame in the clouds.
“Perfect,” the sea rose to meet her. She was doused and the sea froze.
Across the universe: a spark, a droplet, a beginning.
(280 characters)

From Willow at WillowDot21:
More Trouble in Hell
The devil was angry! Who had opened the skylight and let junior loose with a storm. How many times did he have to repeat himself before it finally sank in. You could not let a demon under a millennium loose with a storm.
Now Nasargiel would have to be told. Oh! no thought Satan.
(279 Characters)

From Lorraine and Lorraine’s Frilly Freudian Slip:
Dr. Crescendo’s Mind Camera
Dr. Crescendo’s mind camera captured Celesta’s final thoughts.
Brain zaps of lightening, roiling clouds and calm expanse of silent water.
“Always a cypher, that one. Wonder what she meant,” he wondered.
Her ascending spirit whispered, “Thoughts of you, my dear doctor, of you.”
(276)

From Jan at Strange Goings on in the Shed:
Dyspeptic Rumblings
The Omniscient, Omnipresent and Occasionally Tetchy Cosmos was having digestive problems. The dinner party wasn’t going well due to terrible food. Star systems had vanished in the wake of dyspeptic ructions. Now, a fireball was nicely brewing, precipitating an apocalypse. Damn!
(279 characters)

From Debbie at Twenty Four:
He was silent as he stood on the rocks watching the storm which brewed on the horizon.
He really would have to tell her to watch her temper … at this rate it would rain for forty days and forty nights.
With a sigh he went to find his daughter.
(243 characters)

From Kirst at Kirst Writes:
Haunted Coast Part VI
I’d ordered a supermarket delivery, to be left at the kitchen door. No sign of it. My stomach growled at the sight of empty cupboards. The village pub, I thought, served food. I locked the door, set off on the coast path under a flood of stormy sunset. Should be there by dark.
(277  characters)
(Read previous Parts beginning here: Haunted Coast: Twittering Tales #81 and work forward)

From The Dark Netizen:
TWILIGHT
She stood with her back against the red clouds, pure elegance.
He stared in amazement, ready to proclaim his feelings to her at the romantic waterfront. It was perfect. A little too perfect.
The meteors hidden in the clouds would end their moment, turning their kind extinct.
Character Count : 273

From Indhu at Always:
Sweet Dreams
He stood on the stage beaming with pride to have received the “Best Photographer Award” for his perfect click. He began his well-prepared succinct speech and there was a loud noise. BANG!
He woke up from his sleep.
“Best capture of the end of the world”, he laughed at the irony!
<277 characters>

From Peter at Peter’s Pondering:
The Winner – with apologies to those of a nervous disposition
I warned him, I really did!
He should have foreseen the consequences.
He insisted it was all just innocent fun, and the competition was the talk of the town. He was sure to win.
I thought so too, because he sure passed a lot of gas.
He really shouldn’t have tried to light it though!
(279 characters)

From Patty at Namaste…a late entry for Twittering Tale #86 (open window shade):
Inside Out
You used to be inside of that shabby sheik white curtain, in bed, with me, dreaming our wake dreams, eyes shut tight opening ourselves to each other. Yet, there you go, walking by, as I turn from the window, toward the wall, where I can pretend you’re not a familiar stranger.

Thank you everyone for your thought-provoking and timely tales this week. There were several hellish references, volcanic eruptions, rage…the stuff of nightmares and apocalyptic forboding…and really bad weather and really bad, well…you know! haha!  I was away this past week. Thank you for your patience. I may not have responded to you as quickly, but I read each one, as I always do. I am always blown away by everyone’s creativity.

This week, I’m inviting you to dream. You may want to write the story of this  particular dreamcatcher by Free-Photos at Pixabay…how it came to be…or its own story of the dreams and nightmares that it has caught over the years…or just use it as inspiration to launch you into a creating your own dreamscape. Where do our dreams come from? Do they really tell us what our subconscious is thinking? Dream a little dream with me…;) And remember, you have only 280 characters to tell your tale. It’s a challenge, I know, but to help, see the link above for Character Count Online. You can type and tweak your tale right in the text box on this site. I’ll see you next week at the roundup. Sweet Dreams! 🙂


Twittering Tales #88 – 12 June 2018 – Dreamcatcher

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Photo by Free-Photos at Pixabay

“Put it near your bed,” she told me. After months of nightmares I was willing to try anything.

For the first time I slept peacefully. Was it the dreamcatcher? I wondered. As I watched it sway in the breeze, I saw something drifting from its feathers. My nightmares fading to dust.

(279 Characters)

~kat


Twittering Tales #87 – 5 June 2018

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 #86 – The Roundup

Starting us off…

Sweet Memories

Wafts of cinnamon and apples lured us kids to Mrs. Cooper’s open window, not for pie but for browned scraps of crust doused in butter and sprinkled with sugar cinnamon.

I think of her whenever I smell cinnamon, to this day. Thanks for the memories Mrs. C. It was a sweet time.
(276 Characters)

From Michael at Morpethroad:

The view from the window was his break from the screaming words stuck in his head and craving to be on the page.

There were words he skipped over, some crawled away from his soul still clinging to him.

Refusing the let go he knew sitting with them was better than fighting them off.
(280 characters)

From Reena at ReInventions:

Curtains Fall

The mystery of your presence behind the curtain always held an allure for us.

‘Us’?

Yeah… you know the guy things we do, while in college. You were the hottest chick around.

Hmm, I have all the letters sent by ‘us’.

What? We are married now. It’s certainly not a ‘wife’ thing to do.
(278 characters)

From Teresa at The Haunted Wordsmith:

What the Paperboy Found

We never thought it would happen here. They seemed like such a nice family. Our children played together. They were over for BBQ and s’mores last weekend. Police have flooded the neighborhood. It was quiet here. We never would have guessed what the paper boy found this morning.
279 Characters

From Lady Lee at Lady Lee Manila:

A New Day

Looking forward to a new day with you and everything thereon

The mist is visible, out of the charcoal curtain is a perfect dawn

Against this milieu the trees are silhouettes, like oil painting

The colours of the foliage return to green, what a perfect dawn

A new day has come!
(273 characters)

From the Dark Netizen:

WINDOW

After twelve murders and many petty crimes, this job was a cinch. Even the window was open.

He entered the house, silent as a shadow. No one saw him enter. He spotted gold and precious stones. A huge score, but something felt terribly wrong.

The window closed shut.

Welcome to Hell.
280 Count

From Martin at Martin Cororan:

Early Adopter

Technology had really taken the adrenaline out of Peeping Tommery – spy cams, zoom lenses and such like.

Roger was old school – Get up close and personal, take a table lamp to the face like a man.

The technician tapped the jar in which his brain floated. ‘No Roger! Bad thoughts!’

From Radhika at Radhika’s Reflection:

The Perfect Plan

Samantha would always seek solace in this quaint house amid the hills. It helped her untangle the cacophony of thoughts. But today she needed the peaceful environment to carefully lay down her plan. She could not take any chances. It had to be a fool proof one!

Letter count : 263

From Fandango at This, That, and the Other:

Summer Breezes

I remember that it was incredibly hot that summer. I feared that we would all surely perish.

One day father came home from work carrying with him an enormous electric fan. Within moments of plugging it in, it pushed most of the hot air right out of our home.

It was a godsend.

(275 characters)

From Hayley at The Story Files:

The Window

The window had been open for weeks, the net curtain blowing in the wind. Each time I passed, I wanted to shut it but I couldn’t bring myself to. I thought it as a metaphor; when the window closed so would that part of my life and she would be gone forever.

From Jane at Jane Dougherty Writes:

The Face at the Window

Jilly tugged her big brother’s hand. “Why’s there a big wind coming out of Mr Roberts’, Darryl?”

Darryl shrugged. “One of his daft inventions probably.”

“Darryl? Can you see a cat’s face at the window?”

Darryl’s eyes narrowed then widened in fear.

“Darryl, where’s the rest of it?”
276 Characters

From Willow at WillowDot21:

Not that I watching.

They lived opposite and the noise was unbearable especially in the summer months. The net curtains were always clean and often blowing in the breeze.

The noise was awful night after night. He hit her it was stomach turning.Finally it all went quiet and she ran out into the night.
(280 characters)

From Jan at Strange Goings on in the Shed:

Burnt Offerings

The smell of sulphur and whispers were coming rasped:

“Come in, the door’s on the latch, sorry about the smell, dinner’s burnt. Cup of tea anyone?”
(272 characters)

From Peter at Peter’s Pondering:

I told you not to leave the window open didn’t I?

Did I, or did I not, tell you at least a dozen times “DO NOT LEAVE THE BLOODY WINDOW OPEN!”

Well, you’ve gone and done it now, haven’t you? I told you, but do you listen?

NO!

In one ear and out the other!

And now it’s loose out there!
(280 characters)

From Kirst at Kirst Writes:

Haunted Coast Part III

Inside, the sickly smell of mould hit me. In the gloom, my footsteps echoed back at me from the peeling walls and vaulted ceilings.

I heaved open a window sash to let the sea air in. Somewhere upstairs a door slammed. Just the breeze, surely? I looked round, sensing something…
(276 characters)

From Piyali at The ‘write’ stuff:

Once again, the lone tree swayed and the delicate white curtain hanging from the window fluttered. Inside the dark room, the old lady sighed while knitting away a soft crimson sweater for her grandson; hoping against hope that this summer she’d finally be able to see the child.
(279 characters)

From Indhu at Always:

Little Minds

Sid looked out of the window from his chair, lost in thoughts.

I wish I can play cricket on the street. No, I wish to ride a bike around the town.

He paused, he could smell the porridge.

Oh! I am on high chair and its meal time!

He began to think countless ways to spill the food.
<280 characters>

From Deb at Twenty Four:

She was mystified … it was gone and she had only placed it there a moment ago. What had happened?

Around the corner an old man sat with his dog, enjoying the still warm apple pie.

A smile upon his weathered face as his dog wagged its tail forever optimistic.
(259 characters)

From Isabel at Poetry, Fiction & Photography:

The Remainders

I don’t like it when they open the windows. Memories blow out. And memories are all this place has.

We lived here, slept here, played here. Those moments have faded with the centuries, but they remain. And as long as they remain, so do we.
(239 characters)

As always, wonderful tales! Thank you to all who joined the challenge. This week a storm is brewing…or an alien ship is breaking through the clouds or a galactic battle in the night sky over the bay. Hey, it could happen. You never know. You have 280 Characters to tell the story of this photo by jplenio at Pixabay.com. Posting early tonight. I have limited WiFi. Have fun! 😊


Twittering Tales #87 – 5 June 2018

The Whistleblower

Charlie regretted joining the agency. At first the climate experiments were exciting, but they had taken it too far. He locked his office, drove past the security gate, pulling off the road to call the authorities. A super storm was brewing. He hoped it was not too late.

~kat

273 Characters


Twittering Tales #85 – 22 May 2018

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About the challenge: Each Tuesday I will provide a photo prompt. Your mission, if you choose to accept the challenge, is to tell a story 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

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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

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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


Twittering Tales #84 – 15 May 2018

1510584710974-1

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

 

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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)


Twittering Tale #83 – 8 May 2018

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About the challenge: Each Tuesday I will provide a photo prompt. Your mission, if you choose to accept the challenge, is to tell a story 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 #82 – The Roundup

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Photo by qimono at Pixabay.com

Starting us off…

The Scavenger Hunt
Pick a door
hope to score
a finder’s keep
or rubbish heap.
“There must be a clue within the clue…4 lines, 3 words per line. 4+3. 7. Or is it 4×3. 12. 1+2…3. That’s it!”
Liza turned knob #3 slowly. Locked! Frantically she tried each one as the lights dimmed.
“You lose!” He cackled.
(279 Characters)

From Michael at Morpethroad:
The Doors
Who’d a thought so many choices so many doors?
From bubbling lava pools to tropical forests, to dancing girls and boys, to vast sandy spaces.
The choice was ours, but we had one choice.
The loosely moraled joyously chose the dancers, the wise and stoic the sand.
No return no regrets.

From Reena at ReInventions:
Opinions
What a make-or-break choice! The door I enter could suck me into a whirlpool, or take me to the destination of my dreams. I guess the clue lies in the reflections. I don’t see harm in seeking opinions.
(202 characters)

From Radhika at Radhika’s Reflection:
The rules of the game were simple. State your single wish and you will be lead to that door.
Or open any door to explore what it holds. It could be something beyond your wildest dreams or there could be nothing at all. The choice is entirely yours!
Ted finally made up his mind!
Letter count : 279
What would you do, if you were in Ted’s place?

From Calm Kate at Aroused:
Door of Opportunity
Each door offered ‘a dream come true’ option – return to the past, propelled into the future, a space station on Mars, eternal life, visit my precious deceased father, straight to heaven, my dream beach/bush location. But once opened there was no return … now to make the choice!
280 character

From Fandango at This, That, and the Other:
Easy Money
Harold looked across the highly polished wood floor and shook his head.
“I knew it was too good to be true,” he said to himself. “Easy money, great working conditions, steady work. That’s what they said.”
He glance at the newspaper ad in his hand. It read “Doorman Wanted.”
(275 characters)

From  Martin at Martin Corcoran:
It’s Off To Worse We Go
The seven dwarves made a fortune from their pay-per-view site ‘Watch Women Sleep,’ which, while sleazy, was a marked improvement on their original business idea: ‘High Hoes.’
175 Characters

From Debbie at Twenty-Four:
Jerry paused, retirement may have been driving him crazy, but now he had to wonder if this godsend was a new form of torture.
Looking down the hallway he stifled a groan, painting the dormitory doors had seemed ideal, until he realised how many there were.
(256 characters)

From Team Wellness at World of Wellness:
The Doorway To
Many folks stood with their bag of misery, facing the doors. All were informed,that on opening the door they would either find pure bliss or someone Else’s bag of misery. They had to make a choice.
Folks simply walked away hugging their own bag of misery.
Char Count :255
Recollected from a Sufi Story read in an Osho Book. Happiness is a choice and a risk!!

From Hèléne at Willow Poetry:
Life’s Choices
Life’s Choices
Life,
with its myriad surprises
Of late,
countless blessings
Today,
panic, doubt
burn in my belly.
Facing my challenge
I creep like a mouse
choosing door #4.
Stepping over the threshold
quickly,
the door closes behind me.
The past
is no more.
Today
just is.
Tomorrow’s light
shines forth.
(275characters)

From Masercot at More Potatoes:
Chars
Behind the doors were a lady (his love), a tiger, a tiger-lady, a lady tiger, a tiger named “lady” and a lady made out of the parts of discarded tigers. “Shouldn’t these doors lead into separate rooms”, the man asked.
Behind the doors a tiger belches…

From TinTins at Swerve Strikes Back:
Each door had a small peephole into the past; each heartache encountered, each mistaken opportunity, each dream unachieved. It would have been easy to walk back through a closed door of familiarity. It took courage to step through the door wide open; the door unknown.

From The Dark Netizen a short story inspired by the photo prompt. You can read it here. It’s a good one.

From Ron at Read For Fun:
My staff will choose for me. Six doors of Death by (You’re Fired) #1 Rex, fired by Twitter. #2 Mike, fired for lying. #3 James, fired for disloyalty. #4 Anthony, fired for vulgarity. #5 Steve, fired for fashion sense. #6 Hicks, fired as hopeless. #7 I WIN the Nobel Peace Prize.
(279 characters)

From Jane at Jane Dougherty Writes:
Now What Does That Remind Me Of
He told her to wait at the end of the hallway. There was nowhere to sit, no music no TV to watch no other candidates to stare at just a row of closed doors. She frowned as a word—Gladiator—jogged a memory. An instant later the doors flew open on a yelling sword-swirling horde.
277 Characters

From Peter at Peter’s Pondering:
To make sure that he always addressed his wives correctly their names began with the first two letters of their allotted day.
Morag, Tula, Wendy, Thelma, Francine, Sandra, and Susan all eagerly awaited his visits, or so he thought!
He just wished he could remember what day it was!
(280 characters)

From Kirst at Kirst Writes:
Choose a Door
Make a choice. Any door. Your future is on the other side.
But how do I do know what’s behind them?
You don’t.
I might pick the wrong one!
There are no wrong doors. Only different challenges behind each one.
What if I fail?
Then you fail. But the real failure is not choosing a door.
(277 characters)

From Hayley at The Story Files:
Seven doors; six things that would kill me, only one that would free me. I had reached the final part in this biased life or death ‘game show’ which was a reality in my country. I choice the middle one. Grabbing the handle, I opened the door and faced my destiny.

From Willow at WillowDot21:
The Doors
Bother muttered Alice, enough already. Rabbits, Madhatters,and Walruses. How much more could her brain take?Just when she thought she was free she was presented with a multiple choice of doors. She opened the middle door.Too find a smiling Queen of Hearts with her axe raised!

From UniversalUnionist at BroadsidesDotMe:
“We have a stable”
“But look, there are plenty of rooms”
“They are reserved for important travellers”
“How do you know that I, my wife, or the baby she carries are not important?”
“You are covered in dust, you smell of sweat and donkey”
“So there are no rooms at this inn?”
“Only a stable”

From Jan at Strange Goings On in the Shed:
“Choose two doors, but be very sure of your decision.” His voice was soft.
She felt it cut her soul, quick, with no hesitation.
“One leads to immortality, the other to total annihilation, as if you never existed.” He sighed.
Memory and Forgetfulness. What a choice!
Azrael smiled.
(279 characters)

From Indhu at Always:
The Hostel
The floor was empty and all rooms were closed.
“What’s wrong! Hello” shouted Dia.
She opened her room and sat on the bed. There was blood everywhere. Dia ran to the door, when a hand from under the bed held her leg.
She screamed!
“Surprise” said Rita sprawling out of the bed.
<272 characters>

This week’s tales made me think, laugh out loud, gave me a fright and elicited fond memories of familiar stories retold. What a great roundup! Thanks to everyone who participated this week. Such a creative bunch you are!

This week, a night scene; the underbelly of a city being worked on by a duo of night shift workers. What lies below? What do the people who live nearby think of all the lights, smoke, steam, and noise? What conversations are the workers engaged in? What is happening behind the storefronts and apartment windows. So many possibilities with this photo by Fabio Santaniello Bruun at Unsplash.com. I hope you’ll simmer on it a while and tell us what you see. As always, remember the 280 character rule. I’ll see you at next week’s Roundup!


Twittering Tale #83 – 8 May 2018

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Photo by Fabio Santaniello Bruun at Unsplash.com

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