The Understudy – Friday Fictioneers

November 7, 2013freyathewriter 42 Comments

Here is this week’s entry into the weekly challenge brought to us by the lovely Rochelle Wisoff-Fields.

Here are the rules: Use the photo as inspiration, write a hundred(ish) words – and share! Here goes my offering for this week – and I welcome your comments again!

Copyright – Al Forbes

– The Understudy –

If Toby could speak, he would have a thing or two to say. The constant flow of immigrants and emigrants stepping over the threshold night and day had taught him a thing or two.

Pete had the cushy job, checking the credentials of those who wanted in, striking through the names of those who wanted out (although that was a relatively new phenomenon, to be fair).

It was always ‘St Peter this’ and ‘St Peter that’.

Nobody ever mentioned Toby, perched above the pearly gates.

Poor Toby, without even so much as a finger available to scratch that itch just above his right eye…

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Click on the blue froggy below to read others’ offerings!

Time for Tea! – dVerse Open Link Week 117

October 8, 2013freyathewriter 33 Comments

Here’s my latest entry into the dVerse Open Link – why not take a look at everyone else’s wonderful responses?

This piece is about a great British tradition, inspired by an overheard snatch of conversation and a memory of growing up that gave me that warm, fuzzy feeling. I hope you enjoy it!

*****

– Time for Tea! –

A cup of tea, it cures all ills
Here in England, the land of Wills
& Kate, and Good Queen Bess
Forgive me now, I must confess

To being rather a fussy type
You know the sort, it must be right,
First you have to warm the pot
Then add the leaves, use a lot

There’s not much worse than a feeble brew
Unless of course you let it stew –
Under-steeped or left too long
Third-rate tea, well that’s just wrong!

A china cup is just the thing
From which to let the flavours sing
And lift you after a long, hard day
You know, we won the war that way

Or so my grandma used to claim
When I was young, the old refrain
Of ‘Shall we have another pot?’
Was something she would say, a lot

I drank it, though I wasn’t fond
Because she made it very strong
The way my grandad liked it, see
It was his perfect cup of tea.

Anacronym – VisDare 37

September 17, 2013freyathewriter 2 Comments

I’m late to the party this week, but here’s my latest offering for Anonymous Legacy‘s photo-inspired prompt, VisDare. This week’s prompt word is ‘Trajectory’. The rules are simple:

150 words – or less.

Post entry to your blog and “link in”.

(Please – no erotica or graphic violence.)

DON’T FORGET to read and comment on others’ entries!!

The photo is below, and my piece follows. Let me know what you think, and give it a go yourself, why not?

– Anacronym –

“What do you call it again?”

“It’s the Trajectory Impulse Management Engine.”

“T.I.M.E. – this is time, right?”

“That’s what the uninitiated call it.”

“But you said ‘the T.I.M.E.’ – surely it should be a T.I.M.E.?”

“I’m sorry, sir?”

“Well, there are others out there, I’ve seen them! Oh for goodness sake, it’s a damned clock! And look, I’m wearing a watch on my wrist – a tiny, little, clock. Look!”

“Now, now, sir, there’s no need to be so rude. Please, remove your wrist and that, er, thing from my face.”

“But, but -!”

“The T.I.M.E. turns back, er, time.”

“Oh. Right. Really. OK, so if that’s what it does – and I seriously doubt it – what are the stairs for, then? I presume so the T.I.M.E. L.O.R.D. can oversee the process?”

“T.I.M.E. L.O.R.D., sir?”

“Trajectory Impulse Management Engine, Lead Overseer and Ruler of Dimensions?”

“Now, sir, you’re just being ridiculous.”

*****