Introduction – Friday Fictioneers

This is my submission for Friday Fictioneers. It’s been two years since my last submission

You can read about Friday Fictioneers at the end of this post.
Join us.

Below is the picture prompt for last week and below that is my story.

Copyright – John Nixon

Picture copyright John Nixon.

Introduction
Good music always came from the piano when Roch sat before it. Beautiful music. Tom knew this because everyone clapped when Roch sat before that piano. Tom wanted people to clap for him too.

One day, Tom sat on Roch’s chair before the piano. He tapped the keys as he had seen Roch do many times before, but the music that came out of the piano was not as nice as when Roch sat there. He tried again. Still not as nice.

Maybe the piano did not like making music for strangers. Tom decided to introduce himself to the piano.

—-
100 words

You can read pieces by other participants here.

I read all your comments and I appreciate them, even if I take long to respond and even if I do not respond to each comment individually.

About Friday Fictioneers
Friday Fictioneers is a group that works as follows:
Every week a picture is put up at the Rochelle’s blog.
Prompted by that picture, you write a piece of fiction that is 100 words long (or as close as you can get).
You add a link to your story on the Fictioneers page, and read the (excellent) stories by the other Friday Fictioneers.

Feel free to join us! Everyone is welcome.

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Like A Lamb – Friday Fictioneers

This is my submission for Friday Fictioneers.
You can read about Friday Fictioneers at the end of this post.
Join us.

Below is the picture prompt for last week and below that is my story.
Picture copyright Sandra Crook

Picture copyright Sandra Crook

Like A Lamb
“I think we should go back.”
“Why?”
“There is something wrong up ahead.”
“And you know this how?”
“The sheep, of course.”
“Sheep always walk in herds.”
“Yes, I know but these sheep are all running away from their homes.”
“Oh, so you recognise the sheep now, eh?”
“Yes. No. I mean no sheep live on the farms behind us.”
“Hah! I’m not following sheep like, well, a lamb.”
“I’m serious. There is something bad ahead. Animals sense such things.”
“Maybe. But we humans have developed technology to detect danger. We are superior to – Turn back! Turn back!”
—-
99 words

You can read pieces by other participants here.
I read all your comments and I appreciate them, even if I take long to respond and even if I do not respond to each comment individually.

About Friday Fictioneers
Friday Fictioneers is a group that works as

follows:
Every week a picture is put up at the Rochelle’s blog.
Prompted by that picture, you write a piece of fiction that is 100 words long (or as close as you can get).
You add a link to your story on the Fictioneers page, and read the (excellent) stories by the other Friday Fictioneers.

Feel free to join us! Everyone is welcome.

Read Full Post »

Greener – Friday Fictioneers

This is my submission for Friday Fictioneers.
You can read about Friday Fictioneers at the end of this post.
Join us.

Below is the picture prompt for last week and below that is my story.
Picture copyright Danny Bowman

Greener

Picture copyright Danny Bowman

“Hey look! There’s green grass on that hill!” he said.
“Grass is greener on the other side, eh?” she replied.
“Yes! We can finally graze our animals properly.”
“When the grass is greener, it’s because someone’s watering it.”
His smile faded. “You mean there could be people living there?”
“Yes, and I don’t think they’d welcome our tribe, especially when they find out we’ve finished the grass on our hills.”
“Well, I’m going to find out” he said, starting down the ridge.
“No, wait!” she said. “It could be dangerous.”

The arrow that flew into his chest proved her right.
—-
100 words

You can read pieces by other participants here:

I read all your comments and I appreciate them, even if I take long to respond and even if I do not respond to each comment individually.

About Friday Fictioneers
Friday Fictioneers is a group that works as follows:
Every week you get a picture.
Prompted by that picture, you write a piece of fiction that is 100 words long (or as close as you can get).
You add a link to your story on the Fictioneers page, and read the (awesome) stories by the other Friday Fictioneers.

Feel free to join us! Everyone is welcome.

Read Full Post »

Priorities – Friday Fictioneers

This work of fiction, inspired by actual events, is my submission for Friday Fictioneers that is ably hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields.

You can read about Friday Fictioneers at the end of this post.

Join us.

Below is the picture prompt for this week and below that is my story.

Picture copyright Janet Webb

Priorities

Peter and his daughter Janice queued patiently at the supermarket till, finally buying the toy that Janice had long agitated for.

“Daddy,” Janice said “I want to go for the cooking event upstairs.”

“I’m sorry, not today. We’re going visiting. We’ll plan and go another day.”

Janice kept silent.

Just as they left the till, there were some loud sounds. It seemed everyone froze, then realisation hit.

Gunshots.

Reactions were varied but all dramatic. Some people screamed, some dropped to the floor.

More gunshots.

Peter grabbed Janice and made a crouching run for the exit.

Their purchase no longer mattered.

—-

100 words

You can read pieces by other participants here:

I read all your comments and I appreciate them, even if I take long to respond and even if I do not respond to each comment individually.

Comments

This story is inspired by actual events here in Nairobi. I am yet to write a longer blog post about that, but for now, here are a few links.

(If I don’t get lazy, I may write a longer fictional piece on that terrorist attack).

http://www.theguardian.com/world/interactive/2013/oct/04/westgate-mall-attacks-kenya-terror

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westgate_shopping_mall_attack

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/kenya/10337908/Revealed-American-family-rescued-by-hero-of-attack-on-Nairobis-Westgate-mall.html

Photo credit: Goran Tomasevic/Reuters

About Friday Fictioneers

Friday Fictioneers is a group that works as follows:

Every week you get a picture.

Prompted by that picture, you write a piece of fiction that is 100 words long (or as close as you can get).

You add a link to your story on the Fictioneers page, and read the (awesome) stories by the other Friday Fictioneers.

Feel free to join us! Everyone is welcome.

Read Full Post »

074 – Miss Communicate – Friday Fictioneers

This is my submission for this week’s Friday Fictioneers that is ably hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields.
You can read about Friday Fictioneers at the end of this post.
Join us.

Below is the picture prompt for this week and below that is my story.

Picture copyright Danny Bowman

Miss Communicate

Picture copyright Danny Bowman

Stu approached the phone booth.
“I hope it’s working,” he thought.
He pressed the code for the operator.
“Hello. May I help you?”
“I’d like to make a reverse call.”
“Pardon, sir, you’d like to make what?”
“Reverse call.”
“I’m sorry I don’t understand, sir.”
“A reverse call – one where the other person pays.”
“Which other person?”
“The one receiving the call!”
“Oh. You’d like to call collect?”
“Call who?”
“Collect.”
“Collect what?”
“Making a call where the person receiving the call pays for it is called calling collect”
“Who calls it that?”
“Everyone, sir.”
“Not everyone! I certainly don’t!”
—-
100 words

“You don’t what, sir?”
“I don’t call it calling collect.”
“You no longer want to call collect?”
“I certainly do! I am saying I don’t… Never mind.”
“You seem… I’m sorry, sir. I’m not following you. Do you want to make a collect call?”
“Yes, please.”
—-
146 words

You can read interesting stories by other participants here.

I read all your comments and I appreciate them, even if I take long to respond and even if I do not respond to each comment individually.

Comments
I grew up with British English 🙂
I have missed a few episodes of Friday Fictioneers.

About Friday Fictioneers
Friday Fictioneers is a group that works as follows:
Every week you get a picture.
Prompted by that picture, you write a piece of fiction that is 100 words long (or as close as you can get).
You add a link to your story on the Fictioneers page, and read the varied and awesome stories by the other Friday Fictioneers.

Feel free to join us! Everyone is welcome.

Read Full Post »

073 – Friends

This is my submission for this week’s Friday Fictioneers that is ably hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields.
You can read about Friday Fictioneers at the end of this post.
Join us.

Below is the picture prompt for this week and below that is my story.

Picture copyright Claire Fuller

Friends

Picture copyright Claire Fuller

“May I go and play with my friends now?”
“Take your tea first.”
“But they are waiting!”
“The books will still be there. You need to eat to be strong and healthy.”
“Yes, my friend said that yesterday.”
“Which friend is that?”
“Juma, from Kenya.”
“Ah! Your book friend. Good advice.”

After tea, Andy took his plate and cup to the kitchen, and ran off to the library.
He stepped up a ladder to reach the top shelf and pulled out a book titled Juma’s Safari.
He opened a page, tapped it thrice and found himself in a forest.

—-
99 words

You can read interesting stories by other participants here:

I read all your comments and I appreciate them, even if I take long to respond and even if I do not respond to each comment individually.

Comments
I have missed a few episodes of Friday Fictioneers.

About Friday Fictioneers
Friday Fictioneers is a group that works as follows:
Every week you get a picture.
Prompted by that picture, you write a piece of fiction that is 100 words long (or as close as you can get).
You add a link to your story on the Fictioneers page, and read the varied and awesome stories by the other Friday Fictioneers.

Feel free to join us! Everyone is welcome.

Read Full Post »

072 – Outlast – Friday Fictioneers

This is my submission for Friday Fictioneers for 19th April. Friday Fictioneers is ably hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields.
You can read about Friday Fictioneers at the end of this post.
Join us.

Below is the picture prompt for this week and below that is my story.

Picture copyright Janet Webb

Outlast

Picture copyright Janet Webb

“Honey, I’m home!” said the man, getting into the large hut.
“D’you have a good day, Colin?” said his wife, hugging him.
“Tiring, but good. The new classroom’s coming up well. The villagers are pleased. How’s the health centre?”
“Good! It’s always a delight to see the gratitude on the mothers’ faces.”
“I’m glad you enjoy working here. I was nervous about having us relocate.”
“This is more fulfilling than the high-flying city life we left.”
“I wanted us to build something that would outlast us.”
“Wafula’s wife gave birth today.”
“Wonderful! Boy or girl?”
“Boy. They named him Colin.”
—-
100 words

You can read interesting stories by other participants here.

Comments
The relation of this story to the picture may be obscure. I saw a honeycomb among rocks. I was trying to show that there can be good things amidst hardship.
In parts of my country, children are sometimes named after great or famous people. For example, I (think I) have a nephew named Bill Clinton and another named Winston Churchill. I have four names, myself, two of which are from a family friend.
I have missed a few episodes of Friday Fictioneers.

About Friday Fictioneers
Friday Fictioneers is a group that works as follows:
Every week you get a picture.
Prompted by that picture, you write a piece of fiction that is 100 words long (or as close as you can get).
You add a link to your story on the Fictioneers page, and read the varied and awesome stories by the other Friday Fictioneers.

Feel free to join us! Everyone is welcome.

Read Full Post »

071 – Visitor – Friday Fictioneers

This is  a very late submission for Friday Fictioneers that is ably hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields.
You can read about Friday Fictioneers at the end of this post.
Join us.

Below is the picture prompt for 29th March and below that is my story.

Picture copyright Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

The Visitor
Genre: Paranormal

Picture copyright Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

“This won’t work!”
“It will too! Stop making noise. We need silence”
The boys lit the lamps, sat and held hands.
“Oh great spirit. Come to us”
“Come to us” echoed the younger boy.
“Oh great spirit. Come to us”
“Come to us”
They paused, eyes closed.
“Can you feel anything?”
“I’m not sure. Let’s wait.”
The waited, fidgeting a little.
“Let’s go outside and play”
“Yes, lets!”
The two boys slammed the door behind them as the smoke from the lamps blew to the third chair and formed a shape that was almost human.
“You summoned” it said.

—-
100 words

Comments
I have missed a few weeks of Friday Fictioneers. 😦

About Friday Fictioneers
Friday Fictioneers is a group that works as follows:
Every week you get a picture.
Prompted by that picture, you write a piece of fiction that is 100 words long (or as close as you can get).
You add a link to your story on the Fictioneers page, and read the varied and awesome stories by the other Friday Fictioneers.

Feel free to join us! Everyone is welcome.

Read Full Post »

069 – Shortcut

The company car was going to leave him. That would mean a mile’s walk to the place where he could get public transport.

“I’m right behind you!” he said to his colleagues who were taking the lift from the fourth floor and going to get into the car. He shut down his laptop and made a beeline for the stairs. He pulled out his phone to call his wife.

Open window at stairs landing

Three stairs down, he stepped on a shoelace and tripped. His phone flew out of the window at the landing. He followed.

He reached the ground before his colleagues after all.

—

100 words

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066 – Interminable – Friday Fictioneers

This is my submission for this week’s Friday Fictioneers that is ably hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields.
You can read about Friday Fictioneers at the end of this post.
Join us.

Below is the picture prompt for this week and below that is my story.

Picture copyright Douglas M. MacIlroy

Interminable
Genre: Paranormal(?)

Picture copyright Douglas M. MacIlroy

“Sir, father says you want to leave us.”
“Yes John.”
“Why? Don’t you like it here?”
“I do like it, son. No offence, but our work seems less and less …noble.
We used to wage war, carry great men, ferry important luggage, move the ailing.
Now we only work to amuse, fight mock enemies, run for the entertainment of idle men and gamblers”
“You mean you think horses no longer do important work?”
The man stroked the horse’s mane.
“No, son. I mean Speed and I need to find an antidote for the waters of immortality we drank centuries ago.”
—-
100 words

Enjoy the stories by other participants here:

I read all your comments and I appreciate them, even if I take long to respond and even if I do not respond to each comment individually.

Comments
I struggled with the prompt this week, especially knowing that there would be several very good stories posted, as happens every week. I wanted to write something about a unicorn. I hope someone did 🙂

I was happy to see Kenya in our Great Leader’s list 🙂

I noticed that a word was missing from my post last week. No one pointed it out. Maybe we all did not notice.

About Friday Fictioneers
Friday Fictioneers is a group that works as follows:
Every week you get a picture.
Prompted by that picture, you write a piece of fiction that is 100 words long (or as close as you can get).
You add a link to your story on the Fictioneers page, and read the varied and awesome stories by the other Friday Fictioneers.

Feel free to join us! Everyone is welcome.

Read Full Post »