Tag Flash Fiction

Vitality – Alastair’s Photo Fiction

freyathewriter 17 Comments

Here is my offering for Alastair’s Photo Fiction this week, inspired by his black and white image below.  Why not take part? And visit his photography and writing blog to take a look at his other photos…

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– Vitality –

We all think we have time. The things that seem important, take precedence – the work commitments, the house, the car, the status, the stuff. In acquiring all these things, we forget to notice that time is passing. We look at ourselves in the mirror, see the clothes that don’t quite work, the mascara that clumps no matter what brand we buy, that piece of hair that just won’t sit right. We buy unctions and sprays and shave and wax and primp and preen – the outside becomes who we are.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

Tock.

Enjoy the meaningful things. Family. Friends. Sunsets. Animals. Children. Talking until the moon is fat. Laughing. Crying. Loving. Drinking a good glass of wine. Doing something that scares you. Doing something you love. Dancing on the beach. Watching the fog roll over the moors. Listening to your favourite music until you can’t bear it any more.

Be vital.

Copyright Kattermonran

Copyright Kattermonran

Dad – Trifextra Week 74

freyathewriter 24 Comments

This week, the Trifextra challenge is to play around with the following quote from Henry James:

“Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind.”

I hope you enjoy my offering – please visit here to read many more!

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There are three ways to live your life:

The first is to experience every glorious moment

The second is to experience every glorious moment

And the third is to experience every glorious moment

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This week’s offering is about and in honour of my Dad, who has always done just that.

Rusty – Trifecta Week 83

freyathewriter 19 Comments

Below is my offering for week 83′s challenge word, which is ‘Rusty’. As you will see from the relevant blog post, the challenge is to write between 33 and 333 words of fiction, non-fiction, poetry or prose, based on the 3rd definition from the Merriam Webster’s Online Dictionary.  This week the 3rd definition of ‘rusty’ is:

3a : of the color rust

b : dulled in color or appearance by age and use <rusty old boots>

Here’s my offering below – I hope you like it! Please check here for the other entries!

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– Twenty Six –

You could tell the difference between this institution and the others in the sector because of the paint on the walls. Our other discoveries had been painted a dull green – even the staff private quarters followed this uniform pattern. Here and there, we found abandoned traces of individuality. In one employee’s room, we had found the desiccated remnants of letters from friends and relatives, in another cellophane sweet wrappers had been taped to the windows creating rainbows on the grimy walls within. I remember touching the shimmering patterns, chasing the shadows.

Here, it was different. I shivered, despite the relentless heat of the sun, magnified by the vast wall of windows at the far end of the room. The people who ran this place clearly felt no urge to hide what they were doing – there were no buildings for miles, the terrain was desolate, no roads led here. It was as if we were standing in a figment of a twisted imagination, soon to disappear on the opening of its owner’s sleeping eyes.

I touched the rusty red walls. Even the floor had been given the same treatment. I sensed rather than noticed the neat holes in the floor, the walls, the ceiling. All equipment had been removed slowly, methodically, without hurry. Withdrawal from this place had not been urgent. They had not feared discovery.

I opened my notebook, clicked my pen into action, feeling the vibration as the spring released from its housing inside. I paused, glancing around the room, forcing my emotions to a small, dark place. It was time to record, not react.

‘Statements of the surviving inmates noted a wall of windows, intense heat, walls painted the colour of old blood. I believe we have located Establishment 26.’

I scraped a flake of wall paint into an envelope, sealed it. I hoped I was wrong.

Trifecta