Tag: Writing Challenge

Avocado On Toast #flashfiction

Published on by Hugh W. Roberts43 Comments

November 12 2020, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story that includes avocado toast. How can this be a story or a prop to a story? Use your senses and imagination. Go where the prompt leads!

Avocado On Toast – by Hugh W. Roberts

I always met Carl at this restaurant. But this foggy Thursday evening was much different.

The waiter looked at me peculiarly when I ordered two portions of avocado on toast.

A sudden burst of cold air crossed the table as he placed two plates of green coloured toast in front of me.

I couldn’t thank him. I couldn’t move, yet my ears picked up the sound of Carl’s voice cutting through the foggy night.

“Good. You’re ready. I’ve been waiting for your signal. I told you I’d come to get you when you ordered avocado on toast for us.”

Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch. Click here to join in.

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This post is dedicated to my father, Emrys Roberts, who sadly passed away on October 22nd 2020. Rest in peace, Dad.

Emrys Roberts

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Lifesavers #flashfiction

Published on by Hugh W. Roberts47 Comments

October 30, 2020, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about life savers on any body of water. It can be a formal Coast Guard, historical or contemporary. It could be an individual who unexpectedly takes on the role. Go where the prompt leads!

Lifesavers – by Hugh W. Roberts

Cindy-Rose already knew that she wanted to follow in the footsteps of her father and save lives at sea.

“I’ve just saved Teddy and Giraffe from going underwater, Daddy.”

“I know, I saw you save them from falling into that big, strange puddle left by last night’s, weird storm,” responded her father.

“Thank you for saving our lives,” whispered Teddy into the ear of its owner. “Giraffe and I will always save you.”

Smiling, Cindy hugged her toys and counted down from her age of four before jumping into the puddle.

Only her yellow wellington boots and rainhat resurfaced.

Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch. Click here to join in.

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Vacuuming #flashfiction

Published on by Hugh W. Roberts37 Comments

October 15, 2020, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about chores. It doesn’t have to be a western ranch chore; it can be any routine task. Go where the prompt leads!

Vacuuming – by Hugh W. Roberts

Having murdered his chore-loving wife, Herbert did the unthinkable and scattered her ashes throughout the house.

“That’ll teach you,’ Herbert chuckled. “Lived-in. Not a showhouse.”

On getting home from work the following day, the house was spotless. Unbeknown to Herbert, his wife had employed a domestic help to come in once a week.

That night, the sound of hoovering woke Herbert. Yet downstairs, the hoover was unplugged and stored under the stairs.

Questions: Had Herbert’s wife come back to haunt him? Was it time to buy a new vacuum cleaner? Or should he empty the cylinder of his wife?

Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch. Click here to join in.

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Musophobia #flashfiction

Published on by Hugh W. Roberts36 Comments

September 17, 2020, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story of mice. It can feature any variety of the little critters in any situation. Are they the character or the inciting incident? Use any genre, including BOTS (based on a true story). Go where the prompt leads!

Musophobia – by Hugh W. Roberts

They weren’t alive, but how had they got here?

Suffering from musophobia, Barbara made a quick exit from the beach that was full of mice.

Turning on the radio when she got home, she waited patiently for the early morning news.

“Reports are coming in of a ship having hit rocks off the coast of North Cornwall during last nights storms. Hundreds of freight boxes containing computer mice have broken up and ended up on the beaches along the coastline…”

Just the sight, thought, or the mere mention of the word ‘mice’ was as much as Barbara could take.

Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch. Click here to join in.

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In And Out On The Radio #flashfiction

Published on by Hugh W. Roberts32 Comments

September 10, 2020, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story that includes something heard on the radio. It can be from any station or era. What is heard? A song, announcement, ad? Think of how radion connects people and places. Go where the prompt leads!

In And Out On The Radio – by Hugh W. Roberts

“Hello,” said Juliet, knocking the side of the ostentatious object, “Who’s in there?”

“Come away,” demanded her mother.

“But how can all those people be in there? Why don’t they come out?”

“Don’t be silly! They can’t come out. They’re not inside the radio. They’re broadcasting from the BBC.”

“I want to broadcast from the BBC and come out on the radio,” demanded Juliet.

***

Forty-one years later.

“Today on BBC Radio 4, we’re interviewing actress, Juliet Greenwood,” announced the radio presenter. “Good morning, Ms Greenwood. Are the rumours true?”

“Yes, they are,” declared the radio soap opera star. “I’m gay.”

Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch. Click here to join in.

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Honeymoon #flashfiction

Published on by Hugh W. Roberts90 Comments

January 9, 2019, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about a carried wife. Why is she being carried? Who is carrying? Pick a genre if you’d like and craft a memorable character. Go where the prompt leads!

While carrying his new wife over the threshold of the honeymoon suite, Doug’s eyes lit up at the size of the massive bed in front of him.

Those pillows were big enough to suffocate his new wife for cheating on him.

***

Landing on the bed, Sophie looked at her new husband and wondered how long it would be before the spiked drink she had made Doug consume, would knock him out cold so she could spend the night with Mike, Doug’s best friend.

***

Two floors below, Mike wondered which of the newlyweds would be joining him in bed tonight.

Written in response to the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.

Click here to join other writers who are participating in the challenge.

Copyright © 2019 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.

Front Page Splash #flashfiction

Published on by Hugh W. Roberts38 Comments

London, May 1965

All his fears had come true. Had it been worth it? Yes. But here it was splashed all over the front pages of every newspaper.

As a single, 33-year-old, man who had just been elected as a member of parliament, the woman he had slept with had done all the hard work in persuading him to have a sexual relationship with her. He wondered how long it would be before the police came to arrest him.

As he lay back on the bed, he questioned if there was a parallel universe where heterosexuality was not illegal.

Written in response to the 99-word flash fiction challenge with the theme of ‘splash’, hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.

Image Credit: Charli Mills

Click here to join hundreds of other writers who have taken up the challenge.

Note: The Sexual Offences Act 1967 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom (citation 1967 c. 60). It decriminalised homosexual acts in private between two men, both of whom had to have attained the age of 21.

Copyright © 2019 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.

Growing Older

Published on by Hugh W. Roberts45 Comments

She sat, watching the world around her getting older, her included. It had been a rather tough day and she disliked what ageing did to her.

I may be wiser, she thought, but I feel like I’m on my last few breaths before I leave this world again. I don’t want to go, but know it is time to move on.

As she sat back to take in the last sight of the world she loved, a door behind her opened and slammed loudly.

“Move over, Saturday. The day of rest has arrived. See you in a week’s time.”

Written in response to the 99-word flash fiction challenge with the theme of ‘growing older’, hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.

Click here to join hundreds of other writers who have taken up the challenge.

Copyright © 2019 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.

Hot Dates

Published on by Hugh W. Roberts72 Comments

Warning – adult content.

He was the perfect example of everything she’d been looking for. With the body of Adonis and the smile of Casanova, Mary Daniels knew she was in for a good time.

He had sat her down on the bed and allowed her to undo the buttons on the white dress shirt he wore. Something down below had stirred within her as she undid the fifth button and got a glimpse at what lay beneath the white shirt. Not yet, she had told herself, let the excitement build and take in every single second of the anticipation of what was to come.

When she had looked up into his dark eyes, as she undid the last visible button of his shirt, she had imaged that he was communicating with her telepathically. ‘Go on’, said his voice in her head, ‘pull up the remainder of my shirt so you can undo the final few buttons.’

As Mary Daniels pulled up his shirt and undid the last few buttons, the passion inside her had almost exploded. After watching him slowly removing the expensive, gold cufflinks that had held the shirt cuffs in place, she had stood up and gently pushed the shirt off his shoulders. Before her had stood absolute perfection.

Having pushed her back onto the bed, Mary had watched as the hunk undid the belt of his trousers. She had slowly licked her lips as his trousers dropped to the floor revealing a weapon of mass destruction behind a pair of black, Lonsdale boxer shorts. He really must have found her as attractive as she did him if he was going to use it on her.

Several minutes later as he picked up the $500 left on the bedside table of the hotel room, Mary Daniels was dead.

As he dressed, no emotions passed through his mechanical brain. His job was to now get the money back to his creator, change his appearance by shift-shaping, and await the next call to the ‘Hot Dates’ Escort Agency.

Who would he be next, and who would be his next victim?

Written in response to the May Speculative Fiction prompt hosted by D. Wallace Peach at Myths of the Mirror. Click here to join hundreds of other writers who have taken up the challenge.

Copyright © 2019 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.

The Porthole

Published on by Hugh W. Roberts74 Comments

Everybody has a chance, but it does depend on where you are at the time it appears. I only say that because I am sure I have seen some of the faces here, before. Like, for example, your face.

Now, as we watch the young child take her chance to join us, I will do all I can to make sure she makes it in time, but I need your help too.

What I have created now looms in front of her. If this had been happening a few years ago, I would have had full control over how long the porthole on our spaceship would remain open. Now, however, my power over my creation seems to be weakening.

Even though I know life has been cruel to this child, you’re not so sure, are you?

From what I have witnessed, this child will be a credit to both of us. And, as our world is dying, we need all the souls we can get to build our army.

“Run, child, run,” I shout, as she nears the opening. But you remain silent. Why?

We need her to help save our world. Don’t you see that?

My heart drops when I see the porthole begin to close. I can hear my followers behind me screaming, yet you remain silent. I hope the child makes it through in time.

With a mighty leap, she makes it through before it closes.

“Daddy,” she whispers, as she wraps her arms around my waist. I could tell she now felt safe.

“Now go, child, go do all the bad things you really meant to do when you were on that world. No more being good and trying to make yourself acceptable because of what others told you. The world you have just left was too cruel to you.”

As she looks up at me and smiles, I know she will not fail me.

“Thank you, Father. I always wanted to meet the Devil and come to Hell.”

***

Written in response to the Monthly Speculative Fiction Writing Prompt, from Diana, at Myths of the Mirror. Click here for full details.

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