Of Hope Deprived

PHOTO PROMPT © Trish Nankivell

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The invaders had intercepted and decoded the last desperate communications of the defenders.  It had said, “Communications Compromised!  Refugees use protocols to Safe Zone.”  One such “protocol” was a spray-painted sign at an obscure crossroads.  It read “Gone North.”  On discovering this, Lieutenant Role of the occupying force posted a lookout near the place to see if it was in fact one of the defenders’ instructions.  Within an hour the observer reported a band of about fifty refugees and handful of soldiers approaching the sign and then turning West.  Role ordered the word “North” removed to symbolise the Resistance’s future.

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Padre

Friday Fictioneers

Mother Hubbard

PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson

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The cupboard wasn’t bare, but a few garlic bulbs and some salt didn’t exactly make for fine dining.  Mrs. Hubbard drew some water from the well and proceeded to make a thin garlicy soup. 

When the meagre broth was ready she spooned it out for her visitors. “Blessed meal,” she said, feeling blessed to have something to share. 

“Aren’t you having some?” the tall man asked.

“No, I had a hearty breakfast,” she lied.

When the travellers were finished they thanked her and departed. She then licked the two bowls clean.

The king returned the next day to reward her.

(100 words)

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Friday Fictioneers

Bread

PHOTO PROMPT © CEAyr

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Angus’ mum sent him to the shops to pick up a loaf of bread.  It was much like any other Saturday morning until he turned the corner onto High Street.  Little did Angus know, that he had inadvertently become the star of a Hovis advertisement.

(45 words)

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Friday Fictioneers

Secure

PHOTO PROMPT © Jean L. Hays

The Jamesons at Number 12, stared at the delivery notice on Helen’s phone.

“It says the package has been delivered to a secure location.”

“I looked under the bench, and even behind the trash cans,” Doug said.

Helen dialed the number on the notification, and after pressing a series of prompted buttons, she finally got a human representative on the line.

“Yes, yes,” the representative said in a thick “call-centre” accent.  “Our courier has left it at Number 63.  It had very strong gates and a video camera, and your instructions clearly read, ‘If not at home leave in a secure location’.”

 

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Friday Fictioneers

The Roundabout

PHOTO PROMPT © C.E. Ayr

They were on holiday, and all was as it should be.  They exited the ferry terminal and proceeded into the city.

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Edith asked nervously.

“It’s a piece of cake,” Charlie responded, and then began to recite:

“Roundabouts are simple

They help traffic flow,

There are no signs,

For stop and go,

So find your gap

And make your way,

Just take care – in your lane to stay.”

“It’s as easy as that,” Charlie said to Edith, as he confidently entered the traffic circle.  Too bad he forgot they were now in France.

(100 words)

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Both the UK and France have roundabouts.  The thing is that traffic in each country flows in opposite direction from that of the other.

Friday Fictioneers

 

British Delays – Its More than Just Brexit

PHOTO PROMPT © Na’ama Yehuda

The Summer of 2019 was marked by record breaking temperatures across the United Kingdom.  As the mercury climbed into the 80s and edged towards 90 in old money, huge queues formed at the public pools and swimming baths across the nation.  There were even incidents where crowds fed up with the heat and the lines rushed the gates of the aquatic sanctuaries.  The good news is, that as of today, the twenty-sixth of September, those at the end of the queue were able to make their final approach to the turnstile.  Better late than never, so they say.

(96 words)

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Friday Fictioneers

The Bruiser

PHOTO PROMPT © Linda Kreger 

The Carter family was having a great reunion.  It had been five years since their last and everyone was in high spirits.

As they approached the picnic pavilion they had booked at the park, it became obvious that it had been occupied by a pack of rowdy youths, who were punching one another and throwing beer cans about.

“Big John” Carter approached the adolescents and explained that the family had paid for the space.

He returned to say he had been told to “‘F’ off.”

“Stay behind me everybody.  I’ve got this.” Granny Jean said.

(99 words)

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Friday Fictioneers

DIY

PHOTO PROMPT © Jan Wayne Fields

Annabelle stood with her arms crossed, tapping one foot impatiently on the patio paving.

Dan looked sheepishly from under the mass of purple and silver nylon sheeting.

“Maybe, just maybe, you will just for once read the instructions first,” she snapped before turning on her heel and going inside.

(54 Words)

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Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple

The Gesture

 

PHOTO PROMPT © J Hardy Carroll

The English couple settled at a table in the American diner.   The $2.99 combo seemed just the thing.  What was that? About £4.75 for the two of them. Not bad at all, Lauren mused.

The score was tied, as the soccer semi-final unfolded on the television screen.  Then Morgan scored, and USA was in the lead.  She went to the side-line and made a tea drinking gesture to the crowd.

The gesture stirred Lauren’s heart. “Ah, the food is great here and the prices are good,” Lauren observed.  “But I can’t wait to get back home for some real tea.”

(100 words)

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Friday Fictioneers – Genre: Patriotic Fiction

I originally titled this “An Empty Gesture?” in reference to Morgan’s empty cup. But that smacked a little too confrontational to me so I have changed the title to merely “The Gesture.” By the way, American tea might as well be in an empty cup, give me Tetley’s over Lipton any day.

Transaction

PHOTO PROMPT © Susan Eames

“Hold on, I’m trying to get a signal,” Morgan said over the static on his phone. “Okay, this better be important, I’m on my holiday.”

“Sorry Boss, but Lester say they wont agree to the merger without you  —ying  L- – -” the static again plaguing the connection.

Morgan shimmied further up the tree. “Buy what?”

“L-X,” his assistant repeated, but the crackling again made it difficult to comprehend.

“LEX,” Morgan repeated.

“Okay by 1000 shares of LEX then.  And don’t bother me again.”

“Sir?”

I wonder why he wants to buy LEX?  Especially since he needs to fly to LAX.

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