Friday 6 August 2021

High clouds and a hint of rain

And more than a hint of difficulty about separating, selecting  any one of these entries and setting it above the rest, truly a difficult choice. Eventually, after many reads and re-reads (NOT a chore!) ,  Jim's 'A Question' wriggled its nose beyond the rest,  because of its having left me curious. 

Words for the coming week:  craft  gig  impregnable 

Entries by midnight Thursday 12th August,  new words posted Friday 13th 

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.

44 comments:

  1. What a good choice for a worthy winner this week Sandra . I am hoping Jim will have a continuation for his excellent offering.

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    1. Nicely done, Jim. Great entry and great story.

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  2. With all of my entries for S.A.S for this week i have taken the biggest liberties with the word GIG'. It's there in each episode, you just have to hunt for it.

    The Secret Armadillo Soldiers (SAS) Diaries - entry 164

    ‘Ello Mossy,’ rumbled Atlas ‘need help pushin’ that contraption of yours?’

    Pangolins and Varks in the group visibly paled and giggled nervously as he purposefully shifted his lump-hammer.

    Mossy hid a crafty grin, ‘Wotcha Atlas, ‘ow d’it go at Base-Burrow?’

    Lots t’ tell Mossy but it kin wait till we regroup. Wots the plan?

    Get the contraption away from the battleground but these ninnies wanna go back t’see what’s ‘appened’.

    Winking at Mossy, Atlas hefted his hammer again, ‘we foller the plan then, lead on Mossy.’

    All mutterings and objections were swiftly silenced by impregnable glances from Mossy and Atlas.


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    1. As entertaining as ever, Terrie. I don't know how you manage to keep the momentum going week after week.

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  3. The Secret Armadillo Soldier (SAS) Diaries - entry 165

    A whirligig beetle that had somehow found its way into the water trickling from the wall circled aimlessly in a small puddle. Sarg nosed it toward the struggling dormouse. ‘Kin yu’ manage a bite t’ eat Denzil. It’ll make yu feel better.’

    The dormouse shook his head, ‘there’s more, Sarg, they got those crafty, bastard, thorny-lizards on side too an’ they’re planning to wipe out Base-Burrow and your S.A.S.’ His voice was barely a whisper, ‘this place isn’t impregnable you got to be ready.’

    ‘S’ok Denzil, I know. Yer safe now, so rest up, coz plans are apaw already.’

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    1. jdeegan536@yahoo.com10 August 2021 at 17:07

      Great use of 'gig' in this entertaining entry, Terrie! I almost missed it.

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    2. Yes, indeed, the beetle earns a round of applause, as do all of these wonderfully-spoken episodes

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    3. Poor little beetle. I don't much fancy its fate either in the water or otherwise. Although the dormouse's reluctant to eat might bode well.

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  4. The Secret Armadillo Soldier (SAS) Diaries - entry 166

    Nigel nodded, ‘Maybe yer rite, but I need reports from each platoon quick smart before we get the little feckers movin’.’

    ‘Lost one pilot and got a couple of broken toes,’ reported Clancy, ‘but fer anyone strugglin’ we kin craft sum walking sticks.’

    Without warning, a gigantic rat barrelled from the undergrowth into the luckless gerbils.

    In a blurred movement, Tosca span, and launched at its throat. Moments later it lay twitching and impaled by its head on his impregnable armoured camouflage.

    There was shocked silence.

    Armi spoke first ‘Feckin’ ‘ell mate, that’s a neat trick. Is it dead?’

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    1. Your stories are rich with action and delight this week, Terrie. The lump-hammer, the whirligig beetle, Tosca's swift action, one story just segued perfectly into the next.

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    2. jdeegan536@yahoo.com11 August 2021 at 19:22

      Great i,2,3 punch this week, Terrie. You are such a fine and prolific writer.

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    3. This one was both entertaining AND amusing. Wonderful creations from your plume this week, Terrie.

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  5. Shank’s Pony

    The man with the pony and gig knew his progress along the fractured motorway was being closely observed. The giveaway was the glint of binocular lenses from the old electric pylons that served as watch towers.
    Ahead lay the vast space craft wreckage converted to an impregnable fortress. A heavily armed patrol was dispatched to greet him. They came on quad bikes, in a two by two formation.
    He yanked the reins.
    “Are you sure they won’t realise I’m an alien in equine form,” asked the pony.
    “As long as you don’t speak,” replied the man.

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    1. This is great, David. So much said in so few words.

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    2. jdeegan536@yahoo.com10 August 2021 at 17:10

      Very clever, David! Such clear, vivid language with a great ending. Well done!

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    3. This starts epic then narrows to a single, incisive point.

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    4. This was so unique and clever. Very nicely done.

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    5. This has to be my favourite this week

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  6. jdeegan536@yahoo.com8 August 2021 at 01:18

    THE QUESTION REMAINS

    With deepening horror, I realized I was dead physically and that whatever remained of me was… was what?

    I felt for my face before realizing there was nothing to feel. Next, a look to my arms and legs revealed only the floor.

    A glance at my wife set my growing anger into overdrive. She pointed at my bloody, dead self with her knife and giggled! SHE GIGGLED!

    “You bitch!” I silently shouted. “You think you and this witchcraft are impregnable?”

    I approached her and punched her in the face. She didn’t flinch.

    Damn… what the hell do I do now?

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    1. What an odd, wonderful little story. Very creative, Jim. I enjoyed, 'silently shouting.'

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    2. Such imagination went into the delivery of this one. What to do now indeed?

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    3. What the hell, indeed? I'm trusting you might enlighten us next week. Or might not.

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  7. HESITATION

    “That,” Colm responded, would be what’s left of their great white hope.

    “Weird,” Declan breathed, continuing to stare at the rheum.

    Joanie grimaced. “Ugh … better it than me… So … Dooney?”

    “I’m thinking,” Colm said, looking uncomfortable.

    Sally peered out from cover. The rats were moving, gig apparently over. Una was nowhere to be seen.

    “Think faster.”

    “They’ll not broach the ultrasound barrier,” Colm snapped.

    “It hasn’t been all that impregnable recently,” Sally snipped back.

    “Actually,” Caolin interjected with all the diplomatic craft of a gunship, “they only braved it to protect little Una. Currently–”

    Glares.

    “Weird,” Declan repeated.

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    1. You did well managing a large cast of characters in such a short story, Perry. It flowed nicely. I liked when Sally said, "think faster." It's like telling an irate person to calm down...it rarely works.

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    2. jdeegan536@yahoo.com11 August 2021 at 19:19

      '...diplomatic craft of a gunship'... great image, Perry.

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    3. Yes indeed "diplomatic craft of a gunship" delighted me too.

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    4. Echoing John's comments, it's not easy to manipulate a wide range of characters and yet keep each one intact and individualized. Thanks for showing us how it's done, Perry.

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  8. The lounge singer

    I sip a craft beer between gigs at Bell’s Eccentric Café as people begin to filter in.

    There he is, they say. He looks old, they say.

    In hindsight, I should have remained backstage. I once filled the Silverdome, people shouting for more, making me feel impregnable. Now, I play double sets four nights a week so I can eat.

    The soundman switches the amps on. I walk to the stage and strap Betsy over my shoulder and people cheer.

    “Good evening Battle Creek,” I shout into the mic. Polite laughter follows as it hits me I’m in Kalamazoo.

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    1. Oh - "craft beer! Why didn't I think of that?

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    2. This is a situation that I'm sure happens all the time. And I'm with Sandra on the use of "craft beer." Wonderfully creative.

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  9. jdeegan536@yahoo.com10 August 2021 at 17:15

    Could be the end of the trail for this lounge singer, John. Sadly, a lot of talent met this fate.

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  10. Change of focus [437]

    Philly Stepcart rematerialized as Pettinger left Fullerton's garage, matched him step for step as he crossed Wharf Street and stood beside him, looking down to where a team from the university were setting a half dozen narrow craft into the water.
    'Not canoes –'
    'Gigs by design, which, strictly speaking, belong to ships –'
    Pettinger remembered words were her business As was the extraction of information. Well, two could play at that. He turned to her, 'What do you know about Anemone? Her clients? Enemies?'
    Eyes impregnable. 'For an exclusive?' and Pettinger glumly wondered whether she'd played him all along.

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    1. Pettinger may indeed have met his match in this one. As intriguing as ever, Sandra.

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  11. Goose-pimpling the nape of my neck [Threshold 360] craft gig impregnable

    Unsatisfied or not, budding juvenility had its effect and Raven was upstanding for another gig.
    'No.'
    I turned my back, shed my silken wrap and began to open cupboards in expectation of discovering well-crafted garments in cloth of similar quality while listening for sounds of movement from Raven, unsure whether he'd deem me impregnable by fair means – kisses and compliments – or foul, though what shape 'foul' would take I couldn't quite imagine.
    Had he ever hit me? I thought not (thought there's always a first time). Desertion probably his favourite; rescue times a measure of his displeasure.
    The bed-frame creaked.

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    1. Not sure I'm keen on the direction Raven might be taking here. I really don't think he'd hit a woman.... but desertion, now that's another story. What a fascinating and multi-faceted character you have created in Raven.

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  12. Joys of Mediumship 65
    My visitor today would not understand the word gig, for sure. He is Mr Impregnable in every way, my liege lord, Henry VIII. Someone called across the road to find out if I’d written the book on Henry Tudor. Methinks my photo on the cover would have given it away… the moment she had gone he began talking about another book, that it would make money for me, that together we could craft a book of his thoughts on today’s world. I’ve been given the title (by my publisher) – Freedom From The Pontiff. Says it all.

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    1. Ah, my favourite dynasty, the incomparable Tudors. I have always been totally absorbed by their history.

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  13. Are we on course for a change? The old fashioned amp has still to sell , surely there will be gigs soon, but other things sold yesterday before they were even settled in the shop – mostly Christmas figures crafted to attract attention. It worked. More items are due in tomorrow and we are once again talking of decoration, it might be done, with luck. We are both concerned with health, neither of us are impregnable, it has to be done carefully, crafted in a way that will safeguard us both. Good to see old customers returning.

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    1. Glad for the upturn however slight, in your fortunes. Long may they last.

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    2. jdeegan536@yahoo.com12 August 2021 at 16:48

      Let's hope this uptick in business continues, Antonia.

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    3. Nice to hear that business is improving, Antonia. I think we just took a step back over here thanks to that Delta variant and the continued reluctance of many to get vaccinated.

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  14. The Mad Italian 213
    We are, in this place, on gigabyte island, which should take care of all your needs but which has done nothing more than destroy pavements whilst installing the cables and cause disruption. The internet has failed several times despite it being ‘impregnable’ and I would warn you that many with knowledge have crafted ways of attacking your gadgetry and claiming your information for themselves, to sell on. Use the gadgetry with extreme care and more than that, only buy what you need and us it when required. It is a fine invention but dangerous. One phone is enough, methinks.

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    1. This took on a personal note this week, Antonia. I was contacted that a refund had been attempted to be deposited on a credit card, which happened to be one I had cancelled some months ago due to suspicious activity. I was urged to provide information about the newly issued card so I could get my "deserved refund." Born yesterday is, fortunately, not one of my traits.

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  15. jdeegan536@yahoo.com12 August 2021 at 16:46

    What a great third paragraph, Sandra! So much contained in those words.

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