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THE PREGNANT GUPPY

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SATURDAY 2nd JANUARY 2021

This is a response to a Flash Fiction prompt from ‘Putting My Feet In the Dirt’, Writing Prompts hosted by ‘M’.
Which can be found by following the link below..

Prompt ~THE PREGNANT GUPPY

January 2021 Writing Prompts

image courtesy of Aero Spacelines

THE PREGNANT GUPPY

by John Yeo

  Living on the Space Station is out of this world. Life is lived at a different pace, when one is attempting to colonise outer Space. Captain Mark, an aeronautical engineer was in sole command of the infrastructure here. Dirk, Kirk and Birk were the rest of the crew when a huge rogue asteroid hove into view. This asteroid suddenly altered it’s course leading to an unavoidable collision. Part of the station-shell got destroyed, leaving Captain Mark to make an instant decision. Kirk and Birk would have to return to Earth to arrange for the transfer of some heavy spares to be transported in a Pregnant Guppy. Kirk would handle the ordering of the spare parts and Birk would handle the Pregnant Guppy. When all the details had been completed Kirk met up with Birk who handed him a plastic bag with a rather large goldfish swimming in it.

Image courtesy of pixabay.com

 ‘What’s this?’ Kirk asked Birk, grinning all over his face.

  ‘Oh! just an extra pregnant guppy to take with us to the Space station. The  important  one is on the launchpad  waiting for us to lift off.

© Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved

KLEPTOMANIAC

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SUNDAY 6th DECEMBER 2020 ~ FLASH FICTION 

Weekend Writing Prompt #186 – Quixotic

You advertised for a discreet investigator”

  ‘References?

OK! You’re hired!’

‘What’s the brief?’

‘Lady Brighton’s a quixotic idealist.

robbing stores to feed the poor.

Follow her!’

(26 WORDS)

© Written by John Yeo

BOURBON BLONDIES

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MONDAY 30th NOVEMBER 2020 ~ FLASH FICTION 

This is a response to a Flash Fiction prompt from ‘Putting My Feet In the Dirt’, Writing Prompts hosted by ‘M’.
Which can be found by following the link below..

Todays Prompt ~ BOURBON BLONDIES

November Writing Prompts

BOURBON BLONDIES

by John Yeo

  It was a damp Autumn day on the moors. Billy and I lived next door to each other in a row of workers’ cottages on a fifty acre farm. Billy was a shortish lad, about 4’ 10” tall with a shock of brown hair and brown eyes to match. He had a stocky muscular build that he used to good effect when he indulged in his favourite sport of boxing. In contrast, I was a comparatively lanky lad at 5’5”. I was always described as a bookworm, avidly reading every word that came my way, even on the sides of sweet wrappers and popcorn bags.

  There was a dense mist on the moors on this particular day, the smell of damp grass was swirling around and visibility was limited to about three feet in all directions. We wandered through a small wooded copse in the bottom of a shallow valley where we came upon four unusual sheep, huddled together for warmth.

     Billy said, ’Look Walt! Those are funny looking sheep, they’re bright yellow with frothy woolly coats. I wonder where they’ve come from?’

        I nodded and made to get closer to them but they ambled away into the trees as I approached. ‘I’ve never seen any sheep like this before Billy; we’ll have to tell the farmer.’

      ‘You’re right there Walt! Let’s continue on our way and follow our noses. These trees are a rookery, that’s why there is so much noise from the roosting birds. I have never heard of rooks daring to interfere with sheep and these four look quite healthy.’

 We continued to ramble across the moors and unusually we took a trail that led to some rocky stone walls that were boundary markers. To our surprise, we met an elderly man, wearing an old fashioned overcoat tied around the middle with a piece of string. He carried a long stick with a crooked handle and he was wearing a floppy hat. He was seated on a wall and he appeared to be consulting a map which was in danger of taking off with the wind.

   ‘Hallo lads!’ he said, ‘I’m Gabriel and I’m trying to locate four of my prize sheep, these are a special breed of Bourbon blondies that wandered away from the flock this morning.’ 

  At this point a large sheepdog bounded into view and Gabriel gave him a pat on the head. ‘I’ve been trying to figure out where I am from this map, but I can’t make head or tail of it.’

   Billy said, ‘We saw four yellow sheep in a copse just a couple of miles away back there. We can take you there if you like.’

   ‘Don’t worry, Bruce and I will find them. Thanks lads.’

It was then I noticed the map he was studying was a map of France but I didn’t like to mention it.

 Next day the farmer searched high and low for the shepherd with the odd sheep but they were never seen again.

(499 WORDS)

© Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.

   

DIRE OUTCOME

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SUNDAY 29th NOVEMBER 2020 ~ FLASH FICTION

Weekend Writing Prompt #185 – Dire

DIRE OUTCOME 

by John Yeo

No matter how high your intentions aspire

The lady you love is now unapproachable 

This diagnosis will dampen your fire.

Social distancing will keep you far apart

No hugs, no kisses, just safely unsociable.

Sadly no exceptions for affairs of the heart.

Lock yourself away and suppress your desire

If your patience is strong your dream is attainable.

(58 WORDS)

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MONDAY 23rd NOVEMBER 2020 ~ FLASH FICTION

This is a response to a Flash Fiction prompt from ‘Putting My Feet In the Dirt’, Writing Prompts hosted by ‘M’.
Which can be found by following the link below..

PROMPT ~ THE FUTURELESS FUTURE .

November Writing Prompts

THE FUTURELESS FUTURE 

by John Yeo

  A mysterious man entered the marketplace in the town of Northchester carrying an ornate, richly decorated chest.

       ‘Gather round folks I would like to reveal an instrument that could transport your innermost soul to places you could never dream of. I bring an instrument that is capable of changing your life forever.’

 Then with a flourish, he pulled off the lid to reveal the contents of the box:

 An ordinary antique black plastic telephone. A scratched, battered, extremely well used, old fashioned telephone.

 The telephone suddenly rang! 

    The mystery man said.  ‘This proves this is not just any old telephone, this is a special telephone.

A line to the timeline of history revealing the twists and turns of the life of the planet since time began.

To travel through the timeline one just needs to dial the year one wants to visit. No kidding! Past, Present or hopefully the Future.’

  The worrying thing was when you dialed the future there was no response. 

‘Why was this?’  You questioned the powers in authority.

 Mr. Optimist replied. ‘There is no reply as the future hasn’t happened yet.’

    Mr. Pessimist said. ‘There is no reply because there is no future. A bomb has wiped out the entire planet. There is no future!’

   There was a third person present. An old man who shrugged and said. ‘Hang up the phone; it is written.’

 The wise old sage in the company then addressed the mysterious stranger.

     ‘Sir! Excuse me please. I don’t think there could ever be such a thing as physical time-travel. The end result would never be the same. People would surely travel backward and forwards in time to undo or change an unfortunate action or to rectify a mistake. Surely one person’s mistake is another person’s gain.

Some of us may not actually exist. How many times have people admitted their child sadly was the product of an unfortunate mistake?

 The past surely should be left in the past. The future is surely best left in the empty mists of time.’

Copyright © Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved

THE HIRED HAND

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WEDNESDAY 18th NOVEMBER 2020 ~ FLASH FICTION

Today’s prompt: Write a piece of prose or poetry that uses the words hotel and porcelain skin.

THE HIRED HAND

by John Yeo

   Billy was a drifter, a wanderer, a man for hire. He was of average height and weight, however, he could always be identified by the six-inch long scar on his face running from one ear to the other ear. A hidden identifier was the shape of his head. His skull appeared to be uniquely shaped into a point and he had a long pointed chin. It was rarely, if ever, anyone saw Billy without his battered, mis-shaped, stetson hat on his head. He always had a grubby neckerchief pulled up over the scar and his elongated chin. 

 Jumping awkwardly off the goods train he had boarded when it slowed for some signals two miles outside the small town of Marlon, he took to the road, limping slightly.

 Marlon is a one street town with a general store and a rundown, little-used hotel, opposite the railway goods depot that doubled as the town passenger station.

 Billy entered the bar.

   ‘What’ll you have?’ asked the burly bartender, rubbing his huge wet hands on a grubby apron. He seemed to be deliberately aggressive as he eyed Billy suspiciously.

   Billy smiled and pulled his scarf down slightly. ‘Gimme a beer please! I’m looking for work. Do you know anyone who’s hiring?’

  At this precise moment a tall lady walked in, dressed from head to toe in funereal black. Her blonde hair was scarcely visible under the folds of a jet black hood. Billy couldn’t help admiring her facial skin which was perfectly made up with white makeup, giving the illusion of the pure porcelain skin of an oriental geisha girl.

    ‘Good day Mrs.Harper. Can I get you anything?’  asked the bartender respectfully.

  ‘No thanks Carter, I need to ask a favour. If you hear of anyone looking for work send them to the ranch. We are hiring for our harvest.’

‘Certainly Ma’am, I’ll do just that.’ replied the barman.

With that the lady left the bar.

Billy turned to him and frowned and screamed at the barman

‘Why didn’t you introduce me Carter?’

‘You wouldn’t thank me when you realised you would become a modern slave and sleep in the pigsty. Besides, you work for me now. How does fifty bucks an hour sound with a room thrown in.’

Billy soon became a regular member of the community  and was soon a partner in the business.

© Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.

EMPTY REFLECTIONS

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MONDAY 16th OCTOBER 2020 ~ FLASH FICTION 

This is a response to a Flash Fiction prompt from ‘Putting My Feet In the Dirt’, Writing Prompts hosted by ‘M’.
Which can be found by following the link below..

Prompt ~ EMPTY REFLECTIONS 

November Writing Prompts

EMPTY REFLECTIONS 

by John Yeo

  Jason Spriggs was a third year psychology student at Welchester University. He was 20 years old, 5’ tall, with a shaved head and deep set brown eyes. He was a hard worker and was no stranger to burning the midnight oil. Most of his friends considered him to be good fun and he was a bit of a party animal. He had a habit of burning the candle at both ends.

  It was the weekend and although he had had little sleep Jason woke early in the morning: Suddenly. He vaguely remembered being part of a horrible scenario in his dream. It was difficult to remember exactly what he’d been dreaming about. There was just this terrible feeling of latent fear connected to his actual sense of self. Try as hard as he might, he hardly remembered a single thing that had contributed to this feeling of abject fear. He stumbled out of bed and rushed into the bathroom to answer an urgent call of nature. While he was washing his hands he glanced into the bathroom cabinet mirror. To his horror there was nothing there, just the wall behind him opposite the mirror. He shouted Help! at the top of his voice and Mary and Peter his fellow college housemates came running.

   ‘What’s up Jase?’ enquired Mary in a panic. ‘Why are you screaming?’

   ‘Calm down Jason or you will be arrested for breaching the peace and exceeding the allowable noise levels,’ quipped Peter, ‘They’re extremely hot on noise pollution in this area.’

   Mary tutted and pushed Peter to one side. ‘Don’t be cruel Pete. What’s the problem Jason?’

   Jason rubbed his eyes and looked at them. ‘Am I here? I must be visible to you, but I have lost my reflection. I just looked in the mirror and there’s nothing there. No reflection at all. I had a terrible frightening dream and I just got an empty reflection when I looked in the mirror.’ 

 Peter grinned and reminded him of his consumption of alcohol the night before. ‘Maybe you’re still suffering the effects of the wine and booze you put away yesterday. Have another drink and take another look in the mirror. The hair of the dog technique; never fails to reset the mind. As psychology students we are all aware of the tricks of perception.’

  Mary nodded and rushed off to empty the dregs of several wine bottles that were lying around the house. ‘Here Jase, drink this and look in the mirror again.’ They both knew this was another piece of psychological treatment using the power of suggestion.

 Jason quickly swallowed the contents of the proffered glass and looked in the mirror again.

 At first the glass was cloudy but he was soon relieved to see his reflection slowly appear where there had recently been an empty reflection.

  Peter grinned and said. ‘Mirror, mirror on the wall who is the fairest of them all?’

  They all collapsed together, curled up into fits of laughter.

© Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved 

SHOCK LIFESTYLE CHANGE

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TUESDAY 10th OCTOBER 2020 ~ FLASH FICTION

FIRST LINE PROMPT ~ Bacon sandwiches always reminded her….

SHOCK LIFESTYLE CHANGE


by John Yeo

  Bacon sandwiches always reminded her of the time she spent visiting a smallholding in the depths of rural Wales. Philip Jones was a hard worker on his land and managed to come close to self sufficiency in food. 

   My college roommate Patsy, his only daughter, would always extend an invitation to spend time with her family on this beautiful smallholding. Patsy was a tall girl, with long red hair and freckles all over her face and arms. We have always been inseparable friends.

     Patsy stopped me in the quad one beautiful spring day.           ‘Are you coming to stay with us again this year again Belle? you know you are always welcome. Dad always appreciates your help and we can enjoy ourselves in the village again. They still hold the Saturday dance in the village hall.’ 

Patsy had a habit of shortening my name from Annabelle

   “Yes please! I can hardly wait.’

  During the History lecture that afternoon my mind drifted over the coming visit. I was looking forward to playing with the farm animals again, feeding the chickens, walking the dogs and mucking out the pig sty. I had grown quite fond of the friendly  single family pig, I always had time for Priscilla, I swear she was extremely intelligent and I would converse with her while I was in the sty.

   The last two weeks at college passed in a blur, and we were soon on a passenger train speeding through the beautiful green hills and valleys that famously go to make up Wales. We were met at the village railway station by Mr Jones who shook my hand. 

     ‘Hi Annabelle lovely to see you again.’

  He gave his daughter a huge hug and smiling broadly

       ‘Hello Freckles! climb aboard both of you.’ Patsy frowned at this old nickname.

  In contrast to Patsy, Mr Jones was a short, stocky, well muscled man, with an unruly mop of brown hair that he kept in place with a fashionable Barbour hat. He loaded our bags onto the vehicle and we were soon on our way.

   We arrived at the smallholding where we were greeted by Mrs Jones, with a large pot of tea, a huge plateful of bacon sandwiches and buttered scones. Mrs Jones was a beautiful lady, tall with long red hair; it was obvious which side of the family the freckled skin came from.

 The bacon sandwiches were delicious and I couldn’t help enquiring after my friend Priscilla the family pig.

 There was an embarrassed silence as Mr Jones pushed the plate of bacon sandwiches towards me and offered me another sandwich. 

  ‘Such is the reality of life on a self sufficient smallholding.’

It was from that precise moment I became a life-long vegetarian.

©️ Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.

UNEXPECTED CONVERSION

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MONDAY 9th OCTOBER 2020 ~ FLASH FICTION
 
PROMPT ~ Describe ways in which your character does or doesn’t show piety.

UNEXPECTED CONVERSION


by John Yeo


  An introduction is called for here. Allow me to introduce the obnoxious Dr. Ferdinand Dickus. A cold-hearted, uncaring scientist without piety of any description whatsoever. The Doctor was a firm believer in the Darwinian Theory of evolution, survival of the fittest. As far as the religious belief in any form of afterlife was concerned, there was no such thing. Dickus was an unbeliever. According to the logical scientific evidence, we were born on this earth with nothing and we would ultimately leave thIs earth with nothing. According to him the object of life on Earth is getting as much out of life on earth and to lIve as comfortably as possible in the process. Therefore he had no charitable inclinations at all.
In total contrast, his Mother, Lady Esmeralda Dickus was a devout Christian who worshipped In the local church and was extremely well regarded by the local community for her charity donations

 One foggy winter morning, he stepped out of his private helicopter onto the helipad located on the roof of his laboratory.

    ‘Good morning Sir!’ said his secretary, who immediately fell into step with him as they headed towards the entrance to the building. 

    ‘Hello Dorinda! What’s new? Is anything pressing?’

    ‘Well Sir, there’s an urgent message for you to contact your Mother as quickly as possible.’

    ‘Thanks Dorinda!’


Minutes  later Doctor Dickus got through to his home phone number which strangely, was answered by the familiar voice of the family doctor.

      ‘Bad news I’m afraid Sir. Your Mother has had a serious stroke and a massive heart attack, she’s extremely close to death. I’m afraid there’s little conventional medicine can do now. Your Mother’s living on borrowed time. Your daughter is present I’ll put her on the line.’

     ‘Thank you!’


    ‘Daddy, I’m scared, please come home. They say the only hope is prayer. We are all desperately on our knees begging for a miracle. Please hurry!’

A few hours later the helicopter landed on the lawn at the family home. Doctor Dickus raced to his Mother’s bedside to discover she had made a miraculous recovery.
Later everyone, including the Doctor, proclaimed her recovery was unexplainable. Most said it was certainly the work of God in answer to the prayers of the family.
  Afterwards in the fullness of time, Doctor Ferdinand Dickus became a devout believer.

©️ Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved

JACKPOT

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SATURDAY 7th NOVEMBER 2020 ~ FLASH FICTION

Weekend Writing Prompt #182 – Bequeath

JACKPOT


by John Yeo


  The Grimm family were seated around a table in the offices of Paul Dregson, the family solicitor, to hear a reading of the will of Garston Grimm. 

 His two children and their mother were surprised to see the attractive blonde-headed secretary of Garston Grimm’s pickle factory. 

 The lawyer began.

‘I leave my entire debt-ridden estate to my secretary, Betsy Carpenter, except for the enclosed envelope the contents of which I bequeath to my wife and children.’

 The envelope contained a single winning jackpot lottery ticket.

(85 WORDS)