FRYING-PAN INTO FIRE

Posted on Feb 19, 2015 by John Yeo | 11 Comments

Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers-

Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers is a new weekly fiction writing challenge. The goal is to write a story between 100-150 words (give or take 25 words) based on the provided photo.

FRYING-PAN INTO FIRE

by John Yeo

Image by Dawn M. Miller

We were desperately searching for somewhere to live, Mary was expecting our first child in three months. Our landlord rented our flat furnished, no children allowed. We searched the small ads everywhere and tried many agencies without results, they all wanted a massive payment up front, it looked as if homelessness beckoned.
I noticed a newspaper advert for a bookshop manager with accommodation provided. This is not my normal profession, I trained as a research scientist. I applied for the job where I met the adorable Tom and Barbara, both octogenarians headed for retirement. I was hired on the spot and after the interview Tom and Barbara became fast friends. We moved into a lovely spacious flat with furniture donated and provided by friends.
Then we learned about the gruesome twosome next door, Rock and Roll ravers and rebels who ran a drugs cafe, open 24 hours a day.

(149 Words)

This is in response to a challenge hosted by Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers. If you would like to participate in this challenge or need more information, please click the following link:

Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers Feb 18, 2015

MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (11)

Posted on Feb 17, 2015 by John Yeo | 17 Comments

I am taking part in Mondays Finish the Story 16/02/2015, which is a challenge that provides a photo prompt and the opening sentence to your story. The rules indicate that the story you come up with must be between 100-150 words.

The link below takes you to Part Ten

Mysterious Island (10)

: Image supplied and credited by Monday’s Finish the Story

MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (11)

by John Yeo

Little did they know when the photographer took their picture they would find themselves trapped in a painting.

They say life is an ongoing ever-changing picture, when Diamond Jack arrived to say goodbye on his very powerful motorcycle, he presented Marg with a painting as a present. Jack is an artist, he had many sketches and photographs of Marg and the team with the wolves, to turn into paintings. Marg said goodbye before catching her plane to London.
The Brigadier was upset, Dr Dickus was still on the loose, last reported on the way to Dubai, with Angelo on his trail.
The Brigadier was very interested in the painting that Diamond Jack had passed on to Marg, he never revealed how he knew about it, there were two well known international scientists among the musicians. When the painting was examined, there appeared to be writing beneath, that turned out to be a very valuable formula. Marg was rewarded with a huge bonus.
Several months later death struck swiftly……….

(150 words)
To be continued…………..

The link below takes you to Part Ten

Mysterious Island (10)

https://mondaysfinishthestory.wordpress.com

Five Sentence Fiction ~ OPEN

Posted on Feb 13, 2015 by John Yeo | Leave a comment

What it’s all about: Five Sentence Fiction is about packing a powerful punch in a tiny fist. Each week I will post a one word inspiration, then anyone wishing to participate will write a five sentence story based on the prompt word.

This week’s word: OPEN

http://lilliemcferrin.com/five-sentence-fiction-open/

Image supplied and credited by Five Sentence Fiction

INTROVERT

by John Yeo

The sand, perfectly smooth and clear, without a footprint, yet millions of people have walked here before.
The paper knife slit the envelope along the top, the letter was finally open.
I read the contents and pass the letter to you, we both smile.
“I tell you it is a way of being, a way of reflecting you, look in the water!”
“I respect what you say, but I would rather the solitude of the waves washing everything away.”

MARCELLA ~ Three Word Wednesday

Posted on Feb 13, 2015 by John Yeo | 5 Comments

THREE WORD WEDNESDAY

http://www.threewordwednesday.com/2015/02/3ww-week-no-414.html

DEVIOUS~FROWN~VENEMOUS

Write something based on and including these three words.

MARCELLA

by John Yeo

Marcella, why are you envious,

**Bordering on the devious?**

**When I try to smile you frown,**

It is beginning to get me down.

The answer is becoming obvious,

**Your deadly tongue is venomous.**

You cannot face the reality,

You are eaten up with jealousy!

Smile,

Have fun

Lose the strife,

Lighten up and get a life!

Robbed ~ 100 Word Challenge ~ Velvet Verbosity

Posted on Feb 11, 2015 by John Yeo | 6 Comments

100 words on the word “ROBBED” in response to the latest challenge from VELVET VERBOSITY

http://www.velvetverbosity.com/blog/2015/2/10/100-words-413-word-nerdery-and-magic

ROBBED

by John Yeo

The Doctor was brilliant, he had written many books full of original ideas. Feted the world over, he was basking in the glory of his academic success, Mary, his glamorous wife took care of him and they both enjoyed a super-rich lifestyle.

Mary was very frightened inside, she harboured a sad secret. The Doctor had been leaving an increasing workload unfinished. Secretly Mary had completed many books and papers and engineered the Doctor’s public image. The terrible reality was clear, a shocking disease had struck the Doctor and robbed him of his sparkling mind.

Slowly but surely destroying his brain.

Image from the net

ETERNAL FRIENDS

Posted on Feb 11, 2015 by John Yeo | 4 Comments

Each week on Tuesday Pen’n’Tonic will post a word, a phrase, a picture, or an idea that will constitute a prompt from which to submit a poem, a flash fiction piece (not longer than 250 words), an original photograph, an original artwork, or a combination of these things that you think applies to the week’s theme.

For this week’s challenge, a black and white photograph (owner and girls unknown) of three school friends at a rural schoolhouse.

https://penntonic.wordpress.com/2015/02/10/creative-expressions-9-black-and-white/

Image provided and credited by Pen’n’Tonic

ETERNAL FRIENDS

By John Yeo

The three friends were all Land Army girls during the second world war. Betty and Cissy worked on the land and Lil drove an ambulance. They all met up one day to visit their old school for the school reunion day.
Lil borrowed the ambulance and gave Betty and Cissy a lift. The snow was thick on the ground and Lil drove very slowly and cautiously to avoid skidding out of control. Laughingly she joked, they would be safe in her hands as she was a first class ambulance driver usually driving as fast as possible.
The three friends had a wonderful time catching up with their old school chums, bringing all the old memories of happy schooldays to life again. I took a photograph of the three of them together, promising faithfully I would send a copy on to each of them. They drove off in the ambulance laughing cheerily and waving goodbye.
Sadly that was the last anyone saw of them.
The German aircraft seemed to come from nowhere, strafing and bombing the vehicle and the houses nearby. We heard later that the bomb that hit the ambulance was a direct hit and killed the three friends instantly. The funeral was a very sad solemn occasion that will live long in my memory.
I had the photograph developed and it was used in the obituary in the local paper, I saved this copy as a sad remembrance of my three dear school friends.
Eternal friends lost through war.

(250 Words)

Mysterious Island (10)

Posted on Feb 10, 2015 by John Yeo | 20 Comments

I am taking part in Mondays Finish the Story 09/02/2015, which is a challenge that provides a photo prompt and the opening sentence to your story. The rules indicate that the story you come up with must be between 100-150 words.

The link below takes you to Part Nine

https://johnandmargaret1607.wordpress.com/2015/02/03/mysterious-island-9/

Image supplied and credited by Monday’s Finish the Story

MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (10)

by John Yeo

Dropping her line into Fools Lake, she patiently waited for something to bite.

Hillary was on leave, visiting friends in Arizona. Fly-fishing was a passion of hers from way back.

There was a piercing sound from a cell phone in her rucksack. ‘Damn! I’m sure I turned that off,’ she thought.

Marg, her employer who owned the investigations agency she worked for, had had a narrow escape and needed her help.

Hillary picked up a flight from Phoenix to Anchorage in Alaska and 6 hours later, collected a package from Marg, at “Humpys,” a restaurant in the airport complex.

Marg related her miraculous escape from the secretive Dickus’s lab that blew up after explosive charges detonated, when she retrieved some documents from a large safe. Marg needed to get back to London to meet the Brigadier, as she was now a target of the organisation. Hillary agreed to deliver the package to their office and returned to Arizona.

A motorcycle roared up ~

(150 Words) ~ To be continued….

The link below takes you to Part Nine

https://johnandmargaret1607.wordpress.com/2015/02/03/mysterious-island-9/

https://mondaysfinishthestory.wordpress.com

Picture it and Write ~ Girish

Posted on Feb 8, 2015 by John Yeo | 7 Comments

This is the latest Picture it and Write prompt from Ermilia’s blog

https://ermiliablog.wordpress.com/2015/02/08/__picture-it-write-100/

Man in the suit by apaxngh on deviantart

As usual the image is supplied and credited by Ermilia

THE MESSENGER

by John Yeo

My Mother was very sick with an incurable cancer, our faith has always been very strong, indeed we had her to thank for our strong belief in God. They say miracles are possible and we continually prayed for her in church. Mother had already outlived all the estimates of her life expectancy by months.

Mother was devoted to her granddaughter, Anne, six years old and very bright. The teachers at Anne’s school swore she knew the answers to the questions before they were asked.

We were woken by the sound of Anne’s musical laughter and her voice talking to someone in the middle of the night. We rushed into her room to find her awake sitting up in bed, “Mummy, Daddy, this is Girish, an angel!” We could see nothing and she was completely alone. “Over there by the window!” We could see nothing there.

“Believe me Mummy, there is an angel standing, just there, smiling and watching us. Can’t you see?”

My wife in a moment of inspiration said, “Describe the angel, does she have golden wings? What is she wearing? Does she have robes of pure shining white material?”

“No Mummy, Girish has no wings and he is wearing a suit, like Daddy does and he is a young man.”

“What did he say that made you laugh?”

“He said, to tell you not to worry because Grandma will be alright, she has gone to heaven and the pains have all gone.”

I immediately telephoned my Mother’s house and a very surprised medic said, “I was just about to call you! Sadly your Mother died peacefully half an hour ago.”

Five Sentence Fiction ~ Villainous

Posted on Feb 7, 2015 by John Yeo | Leave a comment

This week’s word: Villainous

http://lilliemcferrin.com/five-sentence-fiction-villainous/

Image supplied and credited by Five Sentence Fiction

THE VOYAGE

by John Yeo

We joined the ship in Tiger Bay, the docks were pretty run-down, redevelopment was planned.

The Captain, a smooth talking elegant fellow, smiled as he welcomed us aboard his three-masted merchant ship.

Shipshape and ready for sail, the crew were lined up for inspection, men from many lands and backgrounds.

The first mate’s name was Lefty he had lost his right arm in a brawl in Calcutta, rumour had it he had killed a man in a fight over a woman.

This villainous collection of thugs and gangsters who were recruited to operate this cruising vessel instantly became cooks waiters, busboys and stewards as the ship sailed away.

EMOTIONS ~Three Word Wednesday~

Posted on Feb 7, 2015 by John Yeo | 4 Comments

THREE WORD WEDNESDAY
http://www.threewordwednesday.com/2015/02/3ww-week-no-413.html

DESIRE~SHIVER~WILT
Write something based on and including these three words.

EMOTIONS

by John Yeo

The plane crashed in the icy wastes and we were trapped in the ice fields gripped in the ferocity of a violent storm. We began to shiver, we were confined to the interior shell of the crashed aircraft for shelter. Tempers were frayed and on edge as the situation began to take a relentless hold. Even the strongest personalities among the passengers and crew began to feel the strain and to wilt under the prolonged pressure. There was a distant whirr of the blades of an approaching helicopter. Instantly a ripple of excitement fluttered throughout as everyone became aware that rescue was here. There was a rush to clamber outside as everyone’s desire to get to safety fast surfaced and just one person remained in control. The Captain was the last to leave.

	Armann and Kaymann on Wild Walk – Sunday 19th…
	John Yeo on Spring Flowers
	John Yeo on Just Because
	ladyleemanila on Just Because
	notestowomen on Spring Flowers

Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers-

FRYING-PAN INTO FIRE

MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (11)

Little did they know when the photographer took their picture they would find themselves trapped in a painting.

INTROVERT

THREE WORD WEDNESDAY

DEVIOUS~FROWN~VENEMOUS

MARCELLA

Marcella, why are you envious,

Bordering on the devious?

When I try to smile you frown,

It is beginning to get me down.

The answer is becoming obvious,

Your deadly tongue is venomous.

You cannot face the reality,

You are eaten up with jealousy!

Smile,

Have fun

Lose the strife,

Lighten up and get a life!

ROBBED

The Doctor was brilliant, he had written many books full of original ideas. Feted the world over, he was basking in the glory of his academic success, Mary, his glamorous wife took care of him and they both enjoyed a super-rich lifestyle.

Slowly but surely destroying his brain.

ETERNAL FRIENDS

MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (10)

Dropping her line into Fools Lake, she patiently waited for something to bite.

Hillary was on leave, visiting friends in Arizona. Fly-fishing was a passion of hers from way back.

There was a piercing sound from a cell phone in her rucksack. ‘Damn! I’m sure I turned that off,’ she thought.

Marg, her employer who owned the investigations agency she worked for, had had a narrow escape and needed her help.

Hillary picked up a flight from Phoenix to Anchorage in Alaska and 6 hours later, collected a package from Marg, at “Humpys,” a restaurant in the airport complex.

A motorcycle roared up ~

THE MESSENGER

Mother was devoted to her granddaughter, Anne, six years old and very bright. The teachers at Anne’s school swore she knew the answers to the questions before they were asked.

“Believe me Mummy, there is an angel standing, just there, smiling and watching us. Can’t you see?”

My wife in a moment of inspiration said, “Describe the angel, does she have golden wings? What is she wearing? Does she have robes of pure shining white material?”

“No Mummy, Girish has no wings and he is wearing a suit, like Daddy does and he is a young man.”

“What did he say that made you laugh?”

“He said, to tell you not to worry because Grandma will be alright, she has gone to heaven and the pains have all gone.”

I immediately telephoned my Mother’s house and a very surprised medic said, “I was just about to call you! Sadly your Mother died peacefully half an hour ago.”

THE VOYAGE

We joined the ship in Tiger Bay, the docks were pretty run-down, redevelopment was planned.

The Captain, a smooth talking elegant fellow, smiled as he welcomed us aboard his three-masted merchant ship.

Shipshape and ready for sail, the crew were lined up for inspection, men from many lands and backgrounds.

The first mate’s name was Lefty he had lost his right arm in a brawl in Calcutta, rumour had it he had killed a man in a fight over a woman.

This villainous collection of thugs and gangsters who were recruited to operate this cruising vessel instantly became cooks waiters, busboys and stewards as the ship sailed away.

THREE WORD WEDNESDAY http://www.threewordwednesday.com/2015/02/3ww-week-no-413.html

DESIRE~SHIVER~WILT Write something based on and including these three words.

EMOTIONS

**Bordering on the devious?**

**When I try to smile you frown,**

**Your deadly tongue is venomous.**

THREE WORD WEDNESDAY
http://www.threewordwednesday.com/2015/02/3ww-week-no-413.html

DESIRE~SHIVER~WILT
Write something based on and including these three words.