From somewhere in the west of Scotland
Please, please nominate your favourite entry from last week: comment and acknowledgement are a vital part of what keeps this site alive, more important than ever when so many others are falling by the wayside.
Words for the coming week: nebulous privilege spade
Entries by midnight Thursday 22nd July new words posted Friday 23rd
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.
I can't wait to show you this piece of bureaucratic writing...
ReplyDeleteConservative-sanctioned cuts to PFI stopped what was initially promised from being delivered says Cllr
My vote goes to Terrie's SAS entry.
DeleteJust in case it was missed, my vote goes to jdeegan's sweet bit of characterization which - to call a spade a spade involved a chap whose belief of what should be his privilege was based on the most nebulous of provenance.
DeleteMy vote for last weeks favourite entry is Davids 'When Johnny comes marching home again'.
ReplyDeleteThe Secret Armadillo Soldier (SAS) Diaries - entry 157
ReplyDeleteCarefully carrying Denzil down into the dark safety of base-burrow, Sarg stopped a young spade-pawed ‘Dillo heading in the same direction.
I need that half-burrow where water trickles from the wall; next to the new tunnel excavations.’She ordered, her voice nebulously muffled with dormouse fur.
Lifting her head to indicate the dangling dormouse, she added, ‘he won’t be able to move far fer a few days so he’ll need water close to ‘im. Run ahead an’ sort it for me soldier.’
‘Yes Sarg, a privilege to serve Sarg.’ the ‘Dillo, bobbed respectfully before scuttling quickly away ahead of her.
PSALM 23
ReplyDeleteJoanie determined her chances of getting back undetected were on the nebulous side and she did NOT want to lead the phalanx of rats – somehow this side of the perimeter – straight to her companions. They didn’t have the numbers or weapons on them to repel.
The bizarre choreography slowed … halted. Joanie followed the gaze of the rodent congregation.
Plastic spatula and cracked mug from some dead and forgotten kitchen in hand, Dooney – using the privilege of utter innocence – had plopped himself down in a muddy area beyond the barrier and was using his makeshift bucket and spade to build “sandcastles”.
"the privilege of utter innocence" - what a wonderful description. This series has fast become addictive.
DeleteNot Dark but Golden.
ReplyDeleteI answer to no one, yet privilege counts for nothing in this job. You shun, revile me, and call me to account for crimes not committed.
I am a gentle creature. I like to wear blue, my skin is golden and I prefer a spade to a fork. Sure, I have horns and a tail but I am simply the record keeper.
I tally numbers, document the names I am given, and hand out directions so I know your texts upon the subject are concocted and nebulous at best for none who arrive here ever return –well hardly ever.
Hardly ever return? My bet is on never return, Terrie.
DeleteQuietly-spoken but poisonous self-justification.
DeleteTHE ENCOUNTER
ReplyDeleteAnna paused but briefly when she saw me then hurried toward me. Without a word, she took my face in her hands and kissed me aggressively on the mouth. I was stunned.
I looked quickly side-to-side, wondering if she had mistaken me for someone else nearby.
“Whom do I have the privilege of… uh, meeting?” she asked seductively.
I didn’t answer. My mind was a nebulous blob.
“You have a car?” she asked, looking around.
“I… I do. Where are we going?”
“My place. That okay with you?”
I loosened up and smiled, thinking I had it made in spades.
That image of him looking "quickly side-to-side", face trapped between her hands is one that infiltrates the whole of this intriguing scene.
DeleteI liked how the dialogue moved the whole scene along and the last line is a great hook to keep us guessing what may happen next.
DeleteWith a cheeky wink to jdeegan… expunge if I’m trespassing.
ReplyDeleteHOUSE OF CARS
Anna sniffed the air, night-fog illuminated by the back porch light wafting about her like a nebulous cloak of frost.
The stench of death was almost undetectable now.
She stooped and lifted the bucket, marigolds catching on the handle-hinge.
‘Careful,’ she admonished herself, ‘we don’t want burnt now, do we?’
Extricating the offending latex, she tipped more lye onto the future flower bed and shoveled on another couple of inches of topsoil before patting it down with the spade.
Her black widow obsession wasn’t really a sickness, she assured herself, but a privilege.
Her car collection swelled
Title is superb, in conjunction with the rest of this piece.
Deleteoh darkness and precise writing, brilliant piece, Perry.
Deleteinsidious atmosphere you have created here . Brilliant.
DeleteThis gal knows what she is doing! Very nice, Perry!
ReplyDeleteApologies, there has been an unexpectedly large amount of stuff to catch up on following our days away. Hope to do better next week.
ReplyDeleteThe Joys of Mediumship
ReplyDeleteAn example of how they work: failed monitor, call computer company, people who call a spade a spade, who said ’we’ll call back’ and did, with the offer of a free monitor. The story behind it is, the day before my monitor went down, a man walked in and said ‘I’m giving up my computer. Could you make use of this? He handed over a gleaming Samsung monitor… They may seem nebulous but – they can direct and hint and … it is as always a privilege to work for them.
Stop The Week –
ReplyDeleteIt’s hard work, despite a hint of change. Not much changing yet. But we are not into school holidays, we pick up some custom then. The thing is; we need more stock! The shop needs cramming to the doors and it isn’t happening. Need gardening tools, spades etc. ready for Autumn. Need a house clearance… On a day to day basis, the privilege of being here, whilst nebulous, is potent enough to keep my brain ticking. Customer today said she hated lockdowns for that reason, no one to talk to, no one to stimulate the brain.
I always look forward to your offerings. Having been in the shop I can so easily imagine what you are doing .
DeleteI believe you are beginning to devise a plan, Antonia, and I'm sure it will be first rate!
DeleteThe Mad Italian 210
ReplyDeleteSuch words this week, nebulous, as misty and difficult as penetrating the astral realm to come here, where sometimes I need a spade to dig through the channels thoughts to find what needs to be said and then consider myself privileged to be read and commented on. I do truly appreciate all of you.
I do not appreciate the current mayhem caused y topics not being talked through or even thought about – there are dark days to come, but fear not, all will come right when certain people remove themselves from the scene. It will come.
too much happening today to get it all done, including blogger going down on me lunchtime, when I wanted to work! apologies, I will comment on all the entries next week, for sure!
ReplyDeleteSandra, hope you had a great time in the wilderness...