Break the Endless Loop. #amwriting #fridayfictioneers

PHOTO PROMPT © Sandra Crook

“Break the Endless Loop.” (c) 2019, Pamela Schloesser Canepa

 

When you’re under forty, you buy.

But after buying more, you need more

And this sickly need has you caught.

 

They market what you don’t need

You’re not hungry but still feed;

Health suffers from this excess.

 

Love won’t come in a dish.

Physical things can’t fill your wish.

It’s time to reject the fraud.

 

Now a herd of doctors, doing their best

Prescriptions, check-ups, many tests.

(It could have been avoided, just confess).

 

Unless you can make a drastic change.

Be a new person, change your ways.

Love people, not habits, or tangible things.

Yes, such an unrealistic dream….

 

***A 100 word poem that tells a frightening story.  This response is based on the photo prompt given weekly for Friday Fictioneers’ challenge at https://rochellewisoff.com/

 

 

 

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Friday Fictioneers. Observations at the Theater. #amwriting

PHOTO PROMPT © Ted Strutz

All writing © Pamela Schloesser Canepa

“You know, if aliens were studying us, they could learn a lot about us from our viewing habits,” Roma claimed.

Billy shrugged. “You’ve got some weird ideas. I’m just excited for the tenth installment of ‘Halloween!’

Roma stopped at the snack counter. “Let me get some popcorn to calm my nerves.”

Minutes later, they were claiming their seats. Roma cringed during every tension-filled moment. The audience screamed; Billy just laughed.

That is, until Billy noticed the strange man on the left of the theater staring at him. Every time he turned, the man stared. Billy cringed…Someone was watching.

-99 to 100 words in response to the photo prompt given for the Friday Fictioneers Challenge at http://rochellewisoff.com 

Bridging the Transition. #FridayFictioneers #FlashFiction

PHOTO PROMPT © Dawn M. Miller

Desmond starting signing the song, “Bridge over troubled water.”

“I hate bridges,” Chastity interrupted.

“It’s getting us to the other side.  Be thankful.  What if you were alone when that old car broke down?  Out here in the middle of nowhere.”

“Just know, Desmond, when we get to civilization, we go our separate ways. I didn’t leave John just to be harnessed to another guy.”

“You are quite progressive for 1972.”

“Better late than never,” she mumbled, missing his point.

Desmond had no tricks up his sleeve.  Is that why she enlisted his help?  He braced himself for goodbye.

~98 words (story only)

Friday Fictioneers is a weekly prompt challenged presented at rochellewisoff.com

I encourage you to visit and read other responses.  Consider joining the fun!

 

 

Ghosts in the Garden. #amwriting #FridayFictioneers

PHOTO PROMPT © Fatima Fakier Deria

Ghosts in the Garden. (c) 2018 by Pamela Schloesser Canepa

“Jimi Hendrix is on the left, and that’s Mother Theresa next to him.”  Grandma arranged a plate of cookies.

“Are these for me?”  her grandson asked hopefully.

“No, silly.  I have to serve them.  How often do I get such prestigious guests?”

He sighed.  “Interesting combination of guests.”  She always had such a great imagination.  It just seemed to be getting wilder every day.

“Indeed it is.  Do you know what they all have in common?”

“What?”

“They love the same brand of peanut butter.” She smiled down at her platter of peanut butter cookies.

**99 words

Ghosts in the Garden is written on this day of miracles, Easter Sunday, in response to the weekly prompt  challenge presented at Rochelle-Wisoff-Fields- Addicted to Purple

Monument. #amwriting #flashfiction

PHOTO PROMPT © Ted Strutz

Monument.  (c) Pamela Schloesser Canepa, 2018

“And here, ladies and gents, is a monument to bygone transportation and musical devices.  It is simply called, ‘Round.’

Little Tommy gazed in awe, imagining a time when humans did not know how to use air currents to get them moving.  When the tour guide’s head was turned, he spun one of the wheels.  Sure enough, it moved around.  He blew on it to make it continue.

“Wrong,”  Grandpa whispered loudly.  “There were pedals on each side you’d move with your legs.  So you’d get exercise.  No atrophy problem.”

What’s that?  Tommy wondered, pushing the button on his hover-cart.

~99 words~

**Every Friday, a new photo is posted for the Friday Fictioneers Challenge that will stay up for a week.  Those interested, are challenged to write a story in 100 words or less based on the photograph.  Please visit https://rochellewisoff.com/2017/12/27/22-december-2017/ to enter your response and/or view the other responses to this week’s photo prompt!

Excess. Friday Fictioneers, #flashfiction

 

 

He’d spent years collecting these things and never used any of them.  Today he was going to make use of them in the best way possible.

Dwight gathered several of the clothes on the shelves and placed them in a bag for the shelter downtown.  Among them, the sweatshirt from his birthday, never worn.

The excess of his family was embarrassing.  This was a sort of rebellion; they’d either praise him for a newfound generosity or chide him for being reckless. Yet, this wasn’t reckless.

He grabbed the old clock.  Mr. Brewer next door would love tinkering with it.

 

*100 words*

P.S.- When I pondered the many objects here, my mind went to Chris McCandless,  subject of the movie and non-fiction book, Into the Wild

It is a true story of his longing to give up a privileged life of excess and of his travels from California to the Alaskan wilderness, living off of nature along the way.  There is no happy ending, as he went to such extremes. The book seemed to really dive into his psyche and speculate on why he went to such extremes.  We may never know, but this book really made me think.  It’s quite interesting that this photo prompt was offered around Black Friday!

Friday Fictioneers is a challenge posted at https://rochellewisoff.com/ weekly with the posting of a new photo prompt.  The stories are to be 100 words or less, and contain a beginning, middle, and end.  Please visit Rochelle’s site to learn how to join in and read other entries in this Flash fiction challenge!

 

Two Boys and a Boat. #amwriting #fridayfictioneers

Photo credit, Roger Bultot

(c) 2017 Pamela Schloesser Canepa

They had left while it was still dark, two sixteen-year-old boys taking off with Dad’s car AND his canoe.  It was their first boating excursion alone.

Reaching the water’s edge, Billy halted.  “The tide is too low.”

“You didn’t check the reports?”  Roma asked.

“No.”  Billy felt bad.

Roma, ever the adventurer,  said, “We’ll go through the brush to where the water’s deeper!”

Billy recalled being in there before, getting stung by bramble, and finding a dead bird.

“But….” He saw Roma’s hopeful face.  “Well, the road less traveled…”

“Yes!”  Roma smiled.

*100 words*

This was written as part of the Friday Fictioneers challenge hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (more details HERE). The idea is to write a short story of 100 words based on the provided photo prompt.

To read stories of 100 words based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.

Friday Fictioneers. What’s in the Bread? #flashfiction #amwriting

PHOTO PROMPT © Kelvin M. Knight

The first time Billy met Roma’s grandma,  he’d gone camping with Roma’s family.  They weren’t so tied up in work like Billy’s parents.

Even more a hippy than Roma’s mother, Grandma made homemade bread for the trip.

Roma’s dad cooked eggs on a skillet over the fire.  They used real butter on the bread.

“Wow!  This is good,” Billy exclaimed.

Roma agreed.

They went for a hike, and Billy saw his first sasquatch.

“He won’t hurt you,”  Roma announced.

“How do you know?”

“I’ve seen him.  Grandma’s talked to him.”

“Dude, what was in that bread?”  Billy asked.

“Love.”

*99 words*

Friday Fictioneers Rules:  Write a complete story in 100 words or less based on the photo prompt.  Give it a beginning, middle, and end.  Post the photo, and give credit for the photo to the contributor.  Share your store using the Inlinkz button, and visit and comment on others’ stories.  Friday Fictioneers is a blog challenge hosted weekly by Rochelle at https://rochellewisoff.com/

Thank you for taking the time to read my story!

 

 

“You Call this a Vacation?” #amwriting Friday Fictioneers

PHOTO PROMPT © Roger Bulltot

 

“This used to be a hospital?”  Roma asked, pictures flashing through his head.

“Yes, in fact…” the guide continued.

“Big deal,”  Billy grunted.  He should’ve known better than to come all the way here with Roma and his hippy mother and foreign dad, from, where was it again?  To stay in a room with no cable t.v., no pool, no cell service…

“I love History!”  Roma jogged over to a tour guide in costume.

“Let me tell you the horrors of this inner chamber!” The man said, ghoulishly.

An hour later, Billy emerged from the building a converted History buff.

~100 words~

 

**Friday Fictioneers is hosted by Rochelle at https://rochellewisoff.com/ and restarts every Friday with a new photo prompt.  Flash fiction stories are to be 100 words or less, with a beginning, middle, and an end.  Proper credit must be given to the owner of the photo.  Add your own by clicking the Inlinks button at the Sept. 1 post at rochellewisoff.com.  Thanks for visiting my blog!

Friday Fictioneers, “A Storyteller Must Tell.” #amwriting #flashfiction

PHOTO PROMPT© Jan Wayne Fields

“Billy, that’s it!”  Roma pointed.  “They said she’s a famous author.  She’s been staying here three months.”

“Can’t be that famous.  Why isn’t she at the Hilton?”

Freshman in college, they both felt wise to the ways of the world.

“What’s that whispering?”  A middle aged woman with wild hair came out.

“Mrs. Frederici?  There’s a bonfire.  You should come.”

The woman smiled appreciatively, grabbing a walking stick.  “No one ever asked before.  I’ll go.  I only get one good hour of writing a day.  Arthritic hands.”

Roma asked, “Could you tell a story?”

Mrs. Frederici winked. “I’d love to.”

100 Words.

 

Rules:  Write a complete story in 100 words or less, based on the provided photo.  Remember, all photos are property of the photographer, donated for use in Friday Fictioneers only. They shouldn’t be used for any other purpose without express permission. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor credit.   Include the photo prompt and link your story to through the Inlinkz button at https://rochellewisoff.com/2017/08/23/25-august-2017/

Readers, feel free to share your own at the link above and to check out other Flash fiction stories!

Yeah, the cliff-hanger was inevitable, though I do think Billy and Roma will resurface in future stories.  (This is their second adventure in my land of fiction :))

P.S. It took me all week to devise this story.  I’ve been quite unfocused, but I am so grateful that Billy and Roma came to my rescue.  Characters do that, you know.