Terrie chuckled and winced, Jim laughed, Patricia was amused and Antonia thought about the money, while for me it was the eyebrows I admired. Whichever the response, they were all excellent reasons to award John's 'Going Green' top spot this week. Thank you all for your comments and contributions.
Words for the coming week: grease question wrinkle
Entries by midnight Thursday 5th
August, new words
posted Friday 6th
Usual rules: 100
words maximum (excluding title) of flash fiction or poetry using all three
words above in the genres of horror, fantasy, science fiction or noir.
Serialised fiction is, as always, welcome. All variants and uses of the words
and stems are fine. Feel free to post links to your stories on Twitter or
Facebook or whichever.
A worthy winner for top choice, John. Well done.
ReplyDeleteIndeed. I echo Terrie's comment.
DeleteThis week's offer looks like a gem as well.
Your entry last week, John, most certainly was the top of the line!
DeleteThanks for the accolades. I won't be around much this week. I'm heading up north for a golf outing today and return Friday night.
DeleteSend in the clowns
ReplyDeleteBobo put away his grease pencils for the last time. Without question, clowns were no longer significant. Feared, yes – significant, no. So, he decided to embrace the fear.
With his bulbous nose and wrinkled skin, his darkened eyes and frizzed hair, he decided he didn’t need makeup anyway. All Bobo had to do was show up and people began to tremble.
The story of his life, really. Kids crying, adults avoiding… the clowns. At his makeup mirror, Bobo fingered his razor knife. The colorful flyer for the carnival beckoned on the table. Tonight, he’d give them something to shudder about.
Initially I felt sorry for Bobo but a clown and a razor knife is, as JD says, most definitely chilling. Brilliant imagery and I loved the last line. Hope you enjoyed the golf outing.
DeleteShuddering before I reached the final line, John, I'd run a mile from any such carnival.
DeleteThanks for hitting my most sensitive nerve, John. Ye gods...I hate clowns. Everything from the fictional Pennywise to the non-fictional John Wayne Gacy. This was a most excellent portrayal.
DeleteNot only shades of IT, but a short story by John Connolly where he drew the unimaginable picture of people sitting at a mirror wiping off the pink makeup and revealing the clown face underneath...
Deletethis came close to that image and is scary!
Shades of "IT," John. Spooky, scary, chilling!
ReplyDeleteThe Secret Armadillo Soldier (SAS) Diaries - entry 158
ReplyDeleteThe half-burrow was barely large enough for them both but Sarg squeezed in and sat beside Denzil, patiently waiting for him to speak.
A shuddering sigh wrinkled through the dormouse’s filthy fur. He opened a blood-greased, swollen, eye. ‘Sarg?’
It’s ok Denzil, yu’ don’t need t’ speak over much. I'll ask questions you kin just gimme a yay or nay,’ she scooped some water seeping from the walls into her paw and trickled it onto his lips.
‘Venice,’ coughed Denzil, ‘he sided with the weasels and took over the Rat-trap.’
Sarg’s snout wiffled, ‘Ahh a collaberatin’ snitch.’
Denzil nodded.
whoops just realised its not entry 158 its entry 161.
DeleteAnd ‘a collaberatin’ snitch’ definitely to be avoided.
DeleteMatters little what the entry number might be when each one is as excellent as this, Terrie.
Deleteanother outstanding instalment and I have no doubt the one that follows is as good...
DeleteThe Secret Armadillo Soldier (SAS) Diaries - entry 162
ReplyDeleteThe stench from Tosca’s bloodied and entrail-adorned camouflage set gerbils noses wrinkling. They choked, retched and snivelled pitifully.
‘Mate,’ observed Armi, ‘ I fink the little buggas would fare better if yu stood up-wind. Yer camouflage smells a mite more ‘n usual yu’ know.’
Question is,’ said Nigel sternly, ‘wot we gunna do wiv the greasy little shites, cos we can’t let ‘em go?’
Several ‘Dillos squared their shoulders and bared their teeth, menacingly.
The snivelling rose to muffled squeaking.
Cinereus coughed, tactfully, ‘We need information; perhaps it would be helpful to let Moses talk to ‘em afore yu decide.’
An encounter with Moses, I suspect, should be avoided. And the greasy little shites, I suspect, will cough up information. Without fail, Terrie, you paint such vivid pictures with words.
DeleteYou are so good with sensual information.
DeleteMagnificent continuation. You manage to keep the threads so tightly in hand with each of the individual quests, Terrie.
Deleteyes, just as good...
DeleteHe Ain’t Heavy
ReplyDeleteI met my brother in a greasy spoon in Hackney. He was jittery, constantly looking over his shoulder.
‘Question everything,’ he told me.
I sipped my tea.
‘There are Wrinkles in time,’ he said. ‘Remember that guy who followed us everywhere when we were kids?’
I nodded.
A cold shiver ran through me.
‘It’s me,’ he said. ‘I’m the guy. That’s my Wrinkle.’
I told him he needed help.
He told me I didn’t know how to help him.
I tried to remember the face of the man who’d followed us.
I would be easy to convince myself.
It seems that both guys in this scene need help, David.
DeleteOoh... what great opening for a bigger story . Really got me hooked and wanting to know what happens next.
DeleteSomething dodgy in the genes for sure.
DeleteShades of a doppelganger in my honest opinion...and I should know since I believe I actually have one. This hit home with quite a punch, David.
Deleteoh - intriguing! good one, David!
DeleteThe Secret Armadillo Soldiers (SAS) Diaries - entry 163
ReplyDeleteAtlas retreated into the bushes: With the smell of blood came the faint odour of weasel, rat and gerbil. He crouched anxiously scenting the air.
His snout wrinkled as he caught the familiar whiff of ‘Dillo, pangolin and Vark, coming closer.
The sound of woody rattling and Mossy’s irritated voice broke the silence,
‘Don’t question the plan now, we gotta get this bluddy contraption moving before the others catch up cos they’ll be chasin’ our tails quicker ‘n a greasy-pawed badger if all’s gone well.’
Atlas calmed himself, pushed aside the undergrowth, and went to meet them.
'greasy-pawed badger' just one of several very colorful images here, Terrie.
DeleteSounds like Atlas will see them right.
DeleteAlways waiting to hearing what's going to come next. You are the mistress of suspense, Terrie.
Deletegot to ask, when will this be available as a book?
DeleteA QUESTION
ReplyDeleteSuch a weird feeling… awakening in a fog… watching a series of series of blurred, wrinkled images racing like greased lightning across my mind. I tried to focus on them… on where I was… on what had happened.
Nothing… just blurred figures moving and motioning.
I concentrated again… harder… more intently.
The blurred figures gradually sharpened… became my wife and a man I didn’t know…both smiling… both holding bloody knives. Beyond them, a shape… a body bathed in blood… my body, which I stared upon from afar.
A question tumbled through my mind: What the hell do I do now?
Clever and powerful inmagery here puts the reader right in the scene. I am wondering, if he decides what to do next, will he be able to do anything about it, given his current state.
DeleteScene so well painted in that opening paragraph.
DeleteWonderful visuals, so cleverly crafted. This certainly begs a continuation.
Deletedefinitely a continuation 0 brilliant imagery here.
DeleteAnd who the most slippery? [Threshold 359]
ReplyDeleteI'd heard the term 'greased lightning'. Never seen it so well demonstrated; their exit too swift for me to be sure whether there'd been four or five stark naked maidens tumbling off a recumbent Raven and scampering, pink-skinned, for the door.
It had taken several moments for them to realise I'd emerged from the bathroom and, silk-wrapped from neck to ankle, was silently questioning their intent. I wondered whether, in their sweet ignorance, they were perhaps attempting a 'safety in numbers' deflowerment.
Raven raised himself onto his elbows, face wrinkling amusement. 'I've never yet found satisfaction in juvenile hors d'oeuvres'.
A wonderful first paragraph gets this entry off to a great start, Sandra!
DeleteI do like this series. the characters are very more'ish.
DeleteRaven rarely, if ever, gives excuses for his behaviour and she never asks for any. Most enjoyable use of the prompt words.
Oh, Raven...what are we to do with you?
Deletelet Raven go his own way, I think! An excellent instalment,Sandra!
DeleteChange of focus [436]
ReplyDeleteDI Pettinger addressed his waiting team. 'Usual questions: Who?, Where? What? When? Why? And How?
'We do know Who, and because of her profession, can suggest one theory as to Why – too many upholders of society condemn such as she. It does look like the killing happened here and SOCO give TOD as no more than eight hours ago. As to How, what weapon or weapons were used, by whom, it's impossible to say until we've got her into the mortuary and cleaned her up. It will be a slow job, extracting grease then prints and DNA from every wrinkle.'
[I promise I did not have this episode in mind when I chose the prompt words!]
Everything contained in two great peices of dialogue.The prompt words fitted brilliantly,Sandra.
DeleteWhat a totally seamless insertion of the prompt words, not to mention one hell of an intriguing continuation.
Deletethe prompts just slid into this and settled down...
DeleteIGNORING THE DOONEY NEAR THE RHEUM
ReplyDelete“Not our idea,” Caolin objected.
“Yeah,” Declan interjected, “The ballsy little bugger moves like greased lightning. He–”
A double-barrelled glare from Sally and Colm catalyzed the Australian’s sudden fascination with the Chinese rhubarb adjacent to Dooney.
Joanie winced as an attempt to get more comfortable exacerbated a strain. “Well, not to pose awkward questions, but you DID have a plan of your own to rescue me … right?”
Colm scratched his stubble awkwardly. “Hmmm – it developed a wrinkle.”
“So?”
Sally jerked her head in the direction of the remains of the albino.
“What’s that?” Joanie pulled a sour face.
"A double-barrelled glare from Sally and Colm catalyzed the Australian’s sudden fascination with the Chinese rhubarb adjacent to Dooney! - magnificent!!
DeleteWhat is that, indeed? I suppose it will be absolutely necessary to wait in order to find out?
Deleteyes, I loved the double barrelled glare too - conjures up some great images...
DeleteThank you - I try to be innovative ... sometimes overdoing it. It was originally Declan looking to the hills until I decided to play with "the elephant in the room" saying in the title with regard to Dooney's being in danger throughout. Chinese rhubarb is apparently known as rheum.
DeleteI love your use of the prompt "wrinkle," Perry.
ReplyDeleteThe Joys of Mediumship part 64
ReplyDeleteSimple example. An author wrote to say I had missed the H in his name and could I fix it before it went to print. I sent the email to my publisher, who wrote back, that’s why I heard a huge WAIT the other night when I started to process the book… not just there for the big things,.. the question is, how can we all reach that level of understanding without question, without a wrinkle in the surface of our lives, or a touch of grease needed to see us through. It’s just there.
Stop The Week…
ReplyDeleteThe noise from the ‘renovators’ above us has been unbelievable, to the point Shaun yelled up at the window to tell them to stop the din. I keep coming back to the question of how long I can carry on, noise is at a level which drives me insane. Today we were asked for fridge magnets, a regular request. There is nowhere in the town you can buy them. It would be too much to ask Red Funnel to carry them. That would cause a wrinkle in their service – not. Like the floating bridge, which needs specialised (expensive) grease…
Hope the noise ceases soon, Antonia - can make life unbearable, I know,
DeleteThe Mad Italian 212
ReplyDeleteThe question is, how much do the scientists really know about this virus? The question is being asked, is it a separate entity or is it a variation ot the winter flu which so many get but oddly have not had this winter past… that threw a wrinkle in their so called modelling . The forecasts are wrong, their estimates are wrong so who is greasing the pathway for the restrictions to stay in place? How much control can one government have over its people? There are moves afoot to undermine democracy and deny freedoms. It has to stop.
Esatto, Leone. Meravigliosa, Antonia.
DeletePatricia, we are the sanctuary for red squirrels, I love them. It's always a moment of 'oooh' when one darts across the road in front of the car, I want to see them but not under my wheels. They actually move faster than cats when crossing the road, that;'s for sure. One islander has been taking care of 4 orphans and charted the whole process with her camera. Absolute delight.
ReplyDelete