Friday 10 November 2017

Approaching the eleventh hour

And waiting with bated breath to learn the identity of this week’s winner

Words for next week: imprecate pear wax

Entries by midnight Thursday 16th November, winners and words posted Friday 17th


Usual rules: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash fiction or poetry using all of the three words above in the genres of horror, fantasy, science fiction or noir. Serialised fiction is, as always, welcome. All variants and use of the words and stems are fine. Feel free to post links to your stories on Twitter or Facebook or whichever social media you prefer.

33 comments:

  1. AND THE ENVELOPE PLEASE....

    How Sandra manages to pull this off every week is an amazing feat. This was incredibly difficult and there was outstanding merit to be found in every entry. However, a decision must be made and for its pure undercurrent of nastiness coupled with an image that conjured evil with the one word..."Toothless"...I declare the winner to be Dan's "Poor Decisions."

    I am off to the theatre tomorrow to see The Bodyguard. Never a huge Whitney Houston fan (apparently it features 14 of her songs), I nevertheless always enjoy the "Broadway Experience" and it came as a package deal with Hamilton (March of next year), which I AM anxious to see.

    I look forward immensely to this week's upcoming offerings. Interesting combination of prompts. Can't wait to see what materializes.

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    1. congratulations to Dan, who is really working hard at improving his writing, asking sensible questions and reading books... it's paying off, Dan, you won against stiff opposition!

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  2. Congrats Dan. And congrats Patricia for your undertaking. Good job to both of you.


    Executive License

    Charles Gerund drew stares of imprecation from passersby as he flicked dingleberries at homeless people sleeping on the sidewalk. There were so many of them that he’d run out of boogers and ear wax blocks ago. A pear shaped man with strange hair and an aversion to bodily related matter dozed against a lamp post. Charles Gerund’s fatal mistake occurred when he failed to realize the man was sleeping off an all-night tweet binge while armed secret service agents stood at the ready.

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    1. nice one, John, one nasty protagonist and concealed menace to the end. Great !

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    2. Nicely done and with a virtual smorgasbord of vivid images. Great incorporation of the prompts too.

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  3. Patricia, it never gets easy, you did a great job there. I know, come back, Sandra, all is forgiven... but this is good experience for you. Waiting to see what you do with the prompts this week!

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  4. A Pear For An Urchin

    Why would a machine commit such an act of kindness? Humans were considered nothing less than fleas on the backs of bugs. Deserving only of hurtful binary imprecations.
    She sniffed the sweet-smelling gift. It was not some wax replica. She longed to penetrate the speckled green skin, gnaw the crispy white flesh, salivate as she savoured the juices.
    A drone jittered past, lens extended.
    Perhaps it was poisoned?
    Such deceptions were not unheard of. Were they observing her with cold, expectant calculation? She held the pear in her grime caked hand, tortured by her own suspicious procrastination.

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    1. Loved the vivid descriptions combined with agonizing over the wanting to “gnaw the crispy white flesh” against her suspicion of the provider’s motive. Well done.

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    2. Such a great futuristic setting with humans under the control of machines. I don't blame her for being suspicious. It also shows the resiliency of humans, while even in her grime covered, fear based existence, she can still long for the taste of a simple pear.

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    3. This was really quite lovely. Almost poetic in its message. I loved the fact of such a dilemma and, for some reason, picture the recipient of the fruit as a little girl. Great draw from the very first line.

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  6. Trouble In Paradise

    I constantly get the blame. General perception is that I'm forever imprecating. I don't bother with repudiation any more. It's a total waste of time. My popularity will wax and wane regardless of anything I say do or do.

    But, back to the original blame.

    I simply pointed out the location of the tree. She gave him the fruit. He was the one who took a bite.

    And that's when it all went pear shaped.

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    1. Seen that apple over there... whatever you do, don't eat that...

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  7. Expecting

    The gypsy lifted her dress, exposing her naked pear-shaped body. Dark veins snaked over her waxy skin, underneath something stirred. Tony looked at her purple lump, fearing what he might see. She made eye contact and waited for him to gaze down at her pubice. He felt her in his mind, twisting around to get his attention. She demanded he look at her genitalia, and he did, he had no choice. The gypsy, satisfied with her apparent imprecation, lowered her dress and ran. Tony stood there, the image of her nakedness, burning into his brain.

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    1. Now there's an image for you. I'm not sure if Tony liked this or not. I kind of see it both ways.

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    2. Some image indeed. Very vivid. Leaves me wondering as to the woman's intentions. Tony probably isn't sure either.

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  8. Visiting Hours

    "Nothing here is real," Grandpa tells her. She nods, noting the vase of plastic tulips and bowl of wax pears on his nightstand.

    Spotting the orderly, white-coated and clean-shaven, Grandpa mutters imprecations under his breath. She squeezes his hand. It's meant to convey comfort and understanding.

    "Nothing," he insists with a sly grin. "Except the waifs that come down from the ceiling at night." She nods once more, best not to contradict him, and smiles at the orderly, who carefully nudges a shabby teddy bear under the bed with the toe of his imitation leather shoe.


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    1. So Intriguing! You tease us with what isn't yet revealed. As a great mentor once said, "wanted more, which says everything really"

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    2. Yes, intriguing indeed. Lots going on behind the scene, like the teddy bear that might be a waif and the clean-shaven orderly that may or may not have designs on the granddaughter, or vice versa.

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  9. Kursaal (Episode Ninety Six) - "Aptitude, Advantage And Avengeance"

    Waxen image of Capers, commissioned by his sisters, stood at the entrance to Giselle's Timeless Tableaux Exhibition Hall. The talented propriétaire had done a magnificent job capturing the deceased clown's essence. He radiated vitality (albeit nefarious). One hand in his pantaloons' pocket and clutch of balloons -- round, sausage-like and pear-shaped -- in the other.

    Little Libby Pepperdyne, to arcane sessions with Primrose Lee (who had undertaken Libby's tutelage as apprentice and protégé), often stopped to stare at the model. Soon, she hoped imprecations would be incorporated into her instruction.

    Meanwhile, shooting daggers at the lifelike effigy sufficed.

    ---------------------------------------------------------
    To read the earlier installments (a suggestion only) which led to this point in the tale, please visit:
    http://www.novareinna.com/kursaal.html
    A link to return to "The Prediction" can be found on the site. Thank you.
    ---------------------------------------------------------

    NOTE: Giselle and her Timeless Tableaux Exhibition Hall featured in a previous episode.

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    1. Nicely vivid and worthy of thought. I get the feeling Primrose will be happy to teach Libby about the art of imprecation when it comes to Capers.

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  11. Cripplegate Junction/Part 122 - Sentimental Journey

    Lately, Miss Constance spent much time thinking about her brother George. He'd repeatedly been subject to obscure imprecation -- that unfortunate hot sealing wax incident at age five and rash of foolish decisions resulting in armed forces conscription at eighteen. The list of indiscretions was virtually endless. Now, he'd vanished altogether. Regardless, he'd always been her childhood companion and protector.

    Constance remembered jaunts to the corner shop, where she would get a sherbet fountain and George, a quarter of those little yellow and pink sweets known as ...

    The rustle of a paper bag interrupted her reverie.

    "Pear drop, Sis?"

    --------------------------------------------------------
    To read the earlier installments (a suggestion only) which led to this point in the tale please visit:
    http://www.novareinna.com/cripplegate.html
    A link to return to "The Prediction" can be found on the site. Thank you.
    ---------------------------------------------------------

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    1. I think we all know a George or two. I liked his entrance.

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  12. The Mad Italian 31
    It is not good to utter imprecations against others, remember always what you give out comes back threefold. The law is immutable. Be sure of what you say, be clear, so none can accuse you of drawing a wax crayon through an agreement, verbal or written, or having someone say it is as rotten as a pear.
    We are each responsible for our words and actions. We cannot say ‘he made me…’ for we have the power within us to withstand any coercion at any time. Make a stand. Be clear and true to yourself. Politicians do not do this.

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    1. No, politicians don't remain as clear and true as they should. I don't blame the Italian for his disdain.

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    2. Message for us all in this day and age. Shame those with the most power fail to see the truth in such words.

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  13. Still Life

    “Don’t imprecate me,” the apple said in mock disdain. The candle giggled as he dripped hot wax on the pear, who failed to perceive the humor. The plum stifled a laugh and the grapes strained at their restraints. The bowl sighed and quivered, bearing the brunt of it all.

    The artist pulled at his graying beard and frowned. “Will you all just pipe down and remain still for once?”

    A wry faced dark haired woman walked in, dressed in brown. She plucked a grape and said, “Leo, be a doll and paint me instead of this ridiculous fruit.”

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    1. And what a delicious little piece this was. How inventive! For some reason, I can see it happening exactly as "pictured" here. Always did think there was more to that "wry faced dark haired woman" that Leo ever let on!

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  14. The Adventures of Rosebud, Pirate Princess #103
    Silence is Relative


    We’re hunting overlords again, chasing sinister whistle trills over melted wax sand dunes. This one’s set an imprecation on all of our pear trees with the help of an old wizard. Luckily our little overlord buddy likes to number his “sneaky” locomotives. Henry just dropped by with news of his current favorite, 4012. It’s one of my favorites too; it’s easy to spot despite its speed.

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    1. Short and as unique as always. These pieces are a true delight if only for their sheer difference of character. Always totally enjoyable.

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