PHOTO PROMPT © Jennifer Pendergast Back then Horatio was a boy who preferred watching shapes shift in the clouds to math equations and book reports. His mother, a chemist, and his father, a civil engineer, left parent-teacher conferences tight-lipped and disappointed. “It’s time you faced the real world, son,” his father said as he left…
Category: fiction
The Unicorn Challenge 072123 — Biblical
© Ayr/Gray Barksley refused to believe his unnatural proclivities were his fault. Having been sent away to Saint Percival Boarding School at age nine, he was predated upon in every fashion by everyone who was stronger than he was, and everyone was stronger. Nuns rapped his knuckles with the metal edges of rulers for not…
#FF — A Summer of Rickshaw
PHOTO PROMPT © Amanda Forestwood My hunger lashed me to a criminal lifestyle, yet I had neither the wiles nor the heart for crime. My third arrest for pie stealing had my voluminous form standing before Magistrate Holmes. From high on her perch of justice, the magistrate sentenced me to a summer of rickshaw. From…
The Unicorn Challenge — Better
© Ayr/Gray “Gertrude,” was the answer Farmer Johnson gave when asked who his prize goose was. When the man from Monsanto came to call one bright April morning, he led with his card and a tip of his new Stetson hat. The fact that the hat was new should have been a red flag to…
#FF — Santa’s Little Helper
PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields For Sling, after choosing a pattern the most difficult part of making a quilt was deciding on a color scheme. Fabric shops stocked a daunting variety of combinations that made it impossible to sort out. Marijo called one December morning. Marijo’s daughter was expecting on Christmas. Could Sling have a…
#FF — Busted
PHOTO PROMPT © AJ Wilson “Sure, you can camp on the back forty this summer,” says Uncle Barney. Adam and Eva have dreamed of country living for years. After splurging on tent, umbrellas, coolers, cots, and other essentials, their first night in the wild is June first. On July first, Adam drives the hour back…
#FF — Making Lemonade (alternate title, as suggested by Rochelle) Two Straws
PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson Wilma loved everything about the new townhouse – except the front steps. What architect in their right mind would have designed them this way? Wilma’s extra large feet had to pick their way carefully each time. Even though they were covered with thick rubber tread, she clung to the railing…
Tao Talk 