Winter Shelter

‘But this is the middle of nowhere.’

‘No dear, we have almost arrived and we are just where we have to be.’

‘You must be joking.’

‘You see that grid and that skyscraper over there, that’s the place we are headed for.’

‘I don’t know what are trying to say.’

‘Dear, this year we are going to have lot of snow in the winter. Weather is going to be a really harsh. We need to find a place where we can survive the cold, wintery days. And there’s no better place than that skyscraper over there. I know I have been there.’

‘But still it’s in the middle of nowhere.’

‘It doesn’t matter as long as it turns out to be a nice, cosy winter shelter.’

The pair of chattering ladybugs landed on what for them was surely a skyscraper.

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A post for Flash Fiction forthe Purposeful Practitioner

Word count 135

Farewell

‘I will come back, I promise, I have to, I need you all as you all need me, I will come back…..I will……..’

He whispered such and many other comforting words into the ears of his wife, his four year old boy and his dog.

The wife and the boy were reassured; they desperately wanted to believe his words.

But the dog was not fooled. It had sensed that it could be their last meeting.

The dog looked into the eyes of the soldier and read the lie that his eyes were unable to hide. But it then chose to be fooled; it did not want the mother and the child to grieve; at least not today.

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A post for FFfAW on a photo prompt

Word count 117

Ghost Ship

Everyone abroad the ghost ship was busy planning the raid on El Dorado.

They were all squatting on a beautiful Persian carpet in the tastefully furnished dining hall of the ship.

‘Our last expedition to El Dorado was a terrible disaster. But this time we must succeed,’ said the captain who was the only ghost in that room that was not drunk.

‘That was more than three hundred years ago and we were mortals then; but now we do not fear anything, not even the storms and not even the pirates,’ boasted the first mate.

‘Let’s not tempt the fate; let’s be realistic and approach El Dorado very carefully.’

‘Now we have powers to overwhelm every obstacle, even the selfish and cunning men,’ interjected a sailor who was the oldest among them.

But no one in that dining hall could anticipate the fate that was to about to befall them.

A storm was raging near the coast of El Dorado. It was no ordinary storm; it had a life of its own and it had plans to target the ghost ship. It wanted to test its immense power against the unearthly beings.

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A post for Sunday PhotoFiction on a photo prompt and

Three Word Wednesday 

The Ruin

                                                                                      Photo prompt © Emmy L Gant

The poor fellow was sick of rains. Every roof was leaking. Every room was flooded. And the cough and cold were killing.

He hated men. They were so selfish. No one had stayed in the house for thirty years. And the owner was unwilling to carry out any repairs. The house was nothing but an ancient ruin.

He wanted to punish humans. But he had been told a hundred times that they could not match the cunning and cruelty of humans.

‘But men detest us……..’

‘It’s their ignorance…….’

‘It’s hard being a ghost……’

‘I agree……it’s like being in hell.’

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Post for Friday Fictioneers on a photo prompt.

Word count 99

Strike

                        http://publicdomainarchive.com/public-domain-images-hine-lewis-national-child-labor-                                                                        committee-collection/

I know it’s only been three weeks since we went on strike but it seems that we have been out of the factories for ages.

The factories are deserted and an odd boy or girl can be sometimes seen roaming on shop floors.  Kids are still oblivious of the calamity that is about to befall on all of us. No one expected that things would take such a nasty turn.

We were assured that the rich would cave in within days. We had to hold on only for a week or so and then the deal would be negotiated and concluded to the satisfaction of every worker.

But the rich did not cave in; many of them, on the contrary, left for exotic places to enjoy their holidays. Those who did not go, sent out a clear message that they would talk once the strike is called off; till then, no work no pay.

The headstrong amongst us committed a cardinal sin; they damaged some of the factories. That was enough to provoke the State.

In our hearts we know that most of us are on the verge of caving in.

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a post for FLASH FICTION FOR THE PURPOSEFUL PRACTITIONER: WEEK #10– 2016

Word count 191

Revolution

The old man looked at the beaming face of his grandson and sighed.

‘You still think it is wrong for us to protest. But how long can we tolerate this corrupt, tyrannical regime. This President has even stopped holding the elections. We will not rest till we throw him out of power,’ the boy almost shouted in anger.

‘And who will take his place?’ asked the old man in a melancholy tone.

‘Our leaders have already thought of everything. Don’t you worry; wise and honest people will run the state. And we have enough of them in our party.’

The old man looked at the boy and recalled the days when he too had gone protesting against the corrupt and tyrannical regime that ruled the country about forty years ago. They had all been inspired by a young idealist who was bubbling with new ideas; whose passion for change was highly contagious; who had provoked thousands of students to come out on streets and not to rest till they had thrown out the tyrant who ruled the country.

They had succeeded. That young idealist had come to power and had ruled the country for twenty years and then had bequeathed the power to his only son.

Today his grandson had risen against the tyrannical regime of the only son of that young idealist.

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A post for Sunday PhotoFiction on a photo prompt.

Power Failure

                                                                                                Photo prompt © Sean Fallon

He was standing like a lifeless statue, stark naked, intently looking at a jar full of batteries.

“What happened to my tea?”

He did not react. That was enough to annoy Pixie.

“Why doesn’t he obey? Something wrong with him?” she muttered in irritation and left her bed. In anger she forgot to cover herself up.

“Now what?’ she gave him a piercing look.

He refused to react.  She got provoked and hit him on the face. She regretted her folly; she had only hurt herself.

“Power failure, no? I should have known; nothing has been right with this robot.”

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A post for FridayFictioneers (on a picture prompt) and

Three Word Wednesday (word prompts- naked, obey, piercing)

Word count 100