The Doll's House

100 Word Challenge – Week#94

Posted on June 17, 2013 by jfb57

http://jfb57.wordpress.com/2013/06/17/100-word-challenge-week94/

This week’s prompt from Julia is:

…the angle was very acute….

As usual you have 100 words to add to those above. The link will be open until 24th June

THE DOLL’S HOUSE

His tongue lolled out of the corner of his lips

A frown creases his forehead, as he grips

A stubby pencil between thumb and forefinger

The angle was very acute as he places the ruler

Measure once, measure again he heard his dad say

He wished he was here to help him today

The doll’s house would be finished in time

For his daughter’s birthday when she turns nine

He should have started it earlier, keeping it a secret

Hiding all the pieces of wood in his closet

The pink gabled roof was nearly done

He hoped she would love it and have great fun.

Word count: 105 plus title.

 

THE ASSIGNATION

WWHB 13 June 2013

Here are the rules:

1) Use the photo and the 5 words provided in your story

2) Keep your word count 500 words or less.

3) You have until next Tuesday to link up your post.

4) Link up with your blog hostess (Nicole, Carrie, Tena or Leanne)

5) Have fun, don’t stress, let those creative juices flow.

(Randomly generated) Mandatory words

Potato, magazine, carrot, day, cough

THE ASSIGNATION

Norman stretched out his back and heard his bones creak and crack.  That’s not good he thought but then what could he expect at 80 years of age.  He was lucky he could still do a morning’s work on his allotment growing potatoes and carrots.

It was a lovely day, a slight breeze but no rain, the clouds had dispersed leaving a brightness that had been missing for quite a while.   He would take a leisurely stroll down to the corner shop and browse the newsstand and see if the current gardening magazine had come in yet.

The shopkeeper, Mr. Brown and his wife had recently taken over their village shop and were desperately trying to make a go of it by adding a personal touch to the shopping experience.  It was so hard competing against the large supermarkets and the internet these days. 

Norman admired the middle aged couple for their hard work and dedication and supported them whenever he could. 

He took his basket with a few items in it, a box of chocolates, a bunch of flowers and his gardening magazine to the till.

‘Good afternoon, Norman,’ said Bill Brown, ‘it’s turned out nice again.  Would you like me to wrap the flowers in some paper for you?’

‘Yes, thank you, if you would be so kind,’ replied Norman.

Glenda Brown smiled as she spoke to Norman.  ‘Flowers?  Who is the lucky lady?’

Glenda was surprised to see the elderly gentleman turn a gentle shade of pink.  He cleared his throat with a little cough.

‘I am rather hoping to meet someone shortly,’ he replied with a smile in his voice.

Glenda nudged Bill as if to say, see you could learn something from Norman. 

Bill surreptitiously winked at Norman.  ‘Have a lovely afternoon.’

Norman tipped his hand at his hat and made his way out of the shop.

It wasn’t far to the river walk, probably ten minutes from the shop as Norman ambled along taking in the sights and sounds.  As he neared the river walk the hum of the traffic lessened to a dull roar rather than whipping by frenetically along the motorway.

It was a little haven of peace on the edge of the old railway and market town that was showing signs of neglect since its heyday in the late 1890’s.   He reached the bench and thankfully rested his weary legs.  He placed the bouquet of flowers next to him and the box of chocolates on his other side.

He closed his eyes and remembered back.  Alice was smiling at him as he handed her the flowers and chocolates.  Her eyes shone with love and he thought he was the luckiest man alive. 

A group of youngsters swooped past him on their skateboards, jolting him out of his reverie. He missed her so much every minute of the day.  He picked up the flowers and chocolates and continued on his way to the small private crematorium.

Word Count: 496

THE WAIT

100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups – Week#93

Posted on June 10, 2013 by jfb57

…when the judgement came it…

You have the usual 100 words to add to those above to produce a creative piece to link here and share. The link will close on 17th June

If you are new to this weekly challenge, have a read of ‘What is 100WCGU?‘.

THE WAIT

 The days were long, the wait was even longer

She hoped she would feel stronger

Weighing up all the pros and cons

Thoughts snaking around like pythons

Writhing and wrestling each other out of the way

Little or no sleep, trying to get through the day

Talked of nothing else, nothing made sense

There could be no more pretence

They grouped together, huddled in the corner

Batting at her mind, strafing with anger

So when the judgement came it was with some relief

Her emotions overflowed, she let out her grief

A primordial scream cut across her brain

She would never go through that again.

Word count: 105

The Birthday Treat

This week's challenge for 5 June 2013

The Photo from Flikr Commons

The Words:

Summit

Fleet

Ceiling

Table

Bible

Here is my contribution:



THE BIRTHDAY TREAT

The waiter brought over the tray holding a cafetiere and two cups and saucers and placed it down on the table in the lounge area of the Georgian country manor hotel.  Isabelle smiled at her husband who took her hand and said, ‘Happy birthday darling.’

Isabelle raised her eyes to the stucco ceiling gazing at the ornate light boss holding a dazzling chandelier.   Her laughter tinkled lightly as she gazed at this man who could still surprise her.  

George’s attention was taken by the old fashioned mahogany bookcases that lined one wall of the lounge.  He pointed them out to Isabelle who stood up to take a better look at the titles on the spines of the books.  

A leather bound Bible was prominently displayed on one of the bookcases.  George groaned inwardly as he saw Isabelle’s hand take down this religious tome.  She brought it back to the leather chesterfield sofa and as she sank low down in to the cushioned seating she opened the fly leaf of the book.

‘Oh look, George, there’s an inscription here.  It’s a bit difficult to read as it’s slightly faded and in old fashioned script,’ said an awestruck Isabelle.

‘Wonderful,’ he heard himself say with a slight tinge of sarcasm.  He poured their coffee dropping a cube of brown sugar into his black liquid whilst he picked up the jug of cream and slowly swirled it in to his beautiful wife’s cup.  

He heard a gasp and looked over to see Isabelle holding a black and white photograph in her hand. 

‘Wow, look at this, George!’ she exclaimed.  ‘It’s got to be pretty old.  It must be to do with that chap who explored the Antarctic surely,’ she mused.

‘Let’s see,’ said George as he fumbled for his glasses from his shirt pocket.  ‘It certainly looks pretty cold there,’ he said once the picture came in to focus.

Isabelle started a running description of the photo.  ‘It’s an ice cave, with icicles dangling from the sides and two men who have obviously walked across the ice from that ship there.’

She turned the black and white photograph over and saw handwritten on the back the words: British Antarctic Expedition 5 January 1911.

‘This photo is more than 100 years old.  Look what those men did without the aid of all this technology we have nowadays.’

‘Didn’t they all die before the fleet of rescue ships found them?’ asked George.  ‘I’ll Google it when we go to our room.’ 

It wasn’t quite what he had in mind for the end of the evening when they retired to their four poster bed but he knew Isabelle would still be wondering if he didn't find out for her although he was almost sure she pretended to be more technophobic than she actually was.

‘I know summit usually means the top of the mountain,’ said Isabelle ‘but this must have felt like the summit of the journey to see something nobody had ever seen before.’

Word count: 500

JUST A DREAM

WWBH Prompt!

for Wednesday 29th May 2013

Here are the rules:

1) Use the photo and the 5 words provided in your story

2) Keep your word count 500 words or less.

3) You have until next Tuesday to link up your post.

4) Link up with your blog hostess (Nicole, Carrie, Tena or Leanne) when you’re done via the inLinkz linky below.

5) Have fun, don’t stress, let those creative juices flow.

The Words:

Carriage

Gym

Poster

North

Bar

The Photo:

JUST A DREAM

Juliette sat in the waiting room impatiently waiting to be called

She watched the second and minute hands of the clock as they crawled

So slowly around the Roman numerals as the time ticked slowly by

She had to get across town to pick Mike up from the gym then her eye

Caught sight of the poster that was curling at the edges promoting a new bar

N O R T H in big bold capital letters stood out so you could see it from afar

North of where? What happened to East, West and South?

Then the dentist was ready for her and before she could answer her mouth

Was stuffed with gentle fingers and tools that pricked and poked and jabbed

The anaesthetic numbed her gums but also sent her into a reverie

For the next half an hour her mind wandered totally carefree

She rode in her carriage along the wet and windy street

A thick travelling blanket was wrapped tightly around her feet

Through the misted, rain splattered windows she surveyed her surroundings

The street light offered up an ethereal glow, lighting up the buildings

Such a shame the old family home was now boarded up, closed tight

Recalling the shame of the recession and how hard her family tried to fight

Their possessions were lost, the bank foreclosed and they had to leave

Her parents and her brothers lost the business and felt so bereaved

As they tried to build up their lives again and recover and start again

She saw them wither and falter but she didn't think any less of them

She knew they would come through and fight stronger than ever before

It wouldn’t be long before they would hold the key once again and open the door

‘Juliette, we are all done,’ said a voice echoing down through the reaches of time

‘Rinse out please.’  She left the surgery with instructions not to eat until dinnertime.

She drove the car smoothly away from the car park towards the old family abode

She turned the steering wheel as they approached the old house silhouetted and shadowed

More than her dream in the dentist’s chair, she espied a poster on the front door that said

‘Opening Soon’ the N O R T H, incorporating a members’ gym, fine wine, bar and dining

Its logo was an old fashioned horse and carriage as a black and white line drawing

It must be an omen Juliette thought as she went to collect Mike from his workout

She told him all about it and he suggested they go one evening and check it out

He understood her need to see the old family pile and what changes had been made

To embrace her and hold her tight as the emotion of her family being betrayed

Her slate grey eyes holding all the pain of her family story from so long ago

That had delivered her family’s final deathblow.

Word Count: 495

MY BOY HURTS

MY BOY HURTS

Only time will tell

There is no magic spell

I can’t mend his broken heart

He doesn't want to be apart

From the three people in his life

He loves with all his might

His world has turned upside down

Suddenly he is a broken man

My boy is hurting so badly

He loves truly, deeply, madly

Emotions running high

Tears fall from his eyes as he cries

He can’t believe it went so wrong

He thought it would be life long

How can I heal his broken heart?

A mother hurts and tries to comfort

She can find no words as she can’t understand

The mind of another and what is planned

THE STALKER

100 Word Challenge – Week#91

Posted on May 27, 2013 by jfb57

Julia says: this week’s prompt came from nowhere really:

…there’s always a sting in the tail….

You may play with the spelling of Tail / Tale if it helps!

If this is your first visit do read ‘What is 100WCGU?’ You’ll see that you have 100 words to add to those in the prompt to produce a creative piece to share.

You link it below and have until Monday 3rd June to do so.

Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list. I will move it to this page as soon as possible!

THE STALKER

Scorpion like she stalked her prey

Pulled up Facebook every day

Looked through friends of friends lists

To make sure there was nobody she missed

She'd been hurt by too many people before

She hid the papers in her underwear drawer

He said, there’s always a sting in the tail

This was one mission she would not fail

It wouldn’t be honourable

She was not an angel

The black mark against her name

It would bring her family shame

Her children would wonder

They would guess and ponder

It really is better this way

Not tomorrow but today

They will not forget

She will not regret.