A little perspective always helps

This piece was written for the Six Sentence story challenge, with the prompt word of 'improvise'. Relativity July 1953 Woodcut 28.2x29.4cm ‘Mr. Moneybags, sorry to call you but I’m having difficulty giving instructions to the crew working on your new home, including the carpenters working on the stairs, especially when the architect’s drawings you sent …

Let the pawnishment fit the crime

This piece was written for the Six Sentence challenge, with 'pawn' as the prompt word. Bill droned on with a seemingly interminable tale about his grandfather’s prowess at chess and I had reached the point where my eyes had taken on the appearance of glazed doughnuts, so I interrupted with ‘So he was a pawn …

More bubbly?

This piece was written for the weekly Six Sentence challenge with the prompt word of 'effervescence'. After Arabella had finished lamenting the loss of her latest boyfriend, Babs breathlessly unloaded that the trouble with Arabella was that she was insufficiently bubbly, too po-faced, not enough fizz, and that guys don’t want to know about what …

Walking again

This piece was written for the Six Sentence Challenge with the prompt word of 'walk'. Two little girls lay in Iron Lung Machines while being treated for Polio. Their family looks in from the window outside. Photo courtesy Getty Images It was the 1950’s and a three-year-old boy called out in the night for a …

It’s a little hot in here

This amusement was written for D'Verse's prompt to write 144 words of prose that must include this line from Shel Silverstein's poem, Invitation. 'If you're a dreamer, come in.' If you are a dreamer, come in to Beelzebub’s Emporium of Chance here at the Hades Hotel in downtown Inferno. Every day’s your lucky day when …

Heroine chic

This piece was written for the Carrot Ranch's weekly 99-word flash fiction challenge, with the prompt of 'rethink the hero'. A ballsy Amazon, with a prodigious cleavage and legs that go all the way up to her backside, storms into a cave and kicks the crap out of The Devil Personified and, supposedly, women everywhere …

The Mickelmouse Club

This piece was written for the Six Sentence story challenge with the prompt word of 'home'. The former country pile had been the home of the descendants of the robber baron, the Earl of Mickelmouse, but had fallen into disrepair after the last of the line accidentally wandered into the front line during the Battle …

Perpetual motion

This piece was written for the Six Sentence challenge with the prompt word of 'gear'. Albert A. Stone did not want to be just another cog in the wheel of life, meshing with others to make some soulless machine rotate endlessly, although he could imagine deriving some perverse pleasure, for a short time at least, …

Gotcha laundry

This piece of fluff was written for the D'Verse Poetics challenge to write a laundry poem. When the permanent press get a whiff and start to sniff the stained seats of power, they start to front-load the ‘news’ and then rinse and repeat until their designated target gets the heat of the hearsay tumble dryer …

Free birds

This piece was written for the Carrot Ranch 99-word challenge with the prompt of 'escape'. You could resign, storm out in high dudgeon and let the cards fall where they may. You could fantasise about finding another job where your skills are finally appreciated and imagine submitting your resignation with an air of smugness. You …