Every Wednesday I post a photo (this week it’s that one above.) You respond with something CREATIVE
Here are some suggestions:
An answering photo
A cartoon
A joke
A caption
An anecdote
A short story (flash fiction)
A poem
A newly minted proverb, adage or saying
An essay
A song—the lyrics or the performance
As the dawn spanned gradually, Miley stood still, waiting for the rays of the sun to touch her skin. It was 5:30 am in the morning and she was trying to keep herself warm by using her jacket. Last night’s thunderstorm and heavy rainfall had wrecked the surroundings; many trees lay on the ground, electric poles and wires had come down on the roads. But Miley fought it all like a rock, for she knew she had to work in this lighthouse, and she embraced her job.
Easy. Each week I’ll provide a prompt to inspire you to write a very short story. The idea is to manage to type your whole story in a minute or less. Of course, you can think about it before hitting the keyboard, and you can take all your time to edit it afterwards…
Just make sure to tag your story with #1MinFiction, and create a pingback to my week’s challenge post, so I can easily find it!
So, here is this week’s picture;
Image via https://journalduneplume.home.blog/
On my way to home from office last night, wind blew away my bus pass from my hand. On searching I found it lying near the drain hole on the road. I bent and picked it up. Many black pigeons were fluttering near the hole. I spotted a van parked nearby and a little girl scattering grains to the birds. On asking she told me that her father has a poultry and the birds were kept caged. She couldn’t bear their sad faces and brought them here to let them be free. She said she feels so happy and will ask her father for forgiveness later on. Little soul didn’t know the means of livelihood but knew the life for sure, I thought on my way to home.
Summer vacation had started and Sam and Siya had come to stay at Granny’s. Granny was waiting ecstatically at the bus stop. As soon as they came down from the bus, she rushed to grab them in her arms, took their backpacks to carry on her shoulders and together they walked towards Granny’s home. Drizzle made the on set of vacation lovelier, for Granny will make their favourite halwa and pkodas today.
Naina came back from school at noon to find an empty house. She looked everywhere but Granny couldn’t be found. Being a diligent labourer that her Granny was, Naina knew she must be out working somewhere, even though it was 1st May, when the whole world working class gets a holiday. She went farther to the fields and spotted her Granny plucking weeds amidst the crops. She went to her and asked why was she working when it was supposed to be a holiday. “I know it’s a holiday. But I don’t need to take rest, as work gives me energy and keeps me active, you know.”
“Granny, you don’t need to lie to me. I know they didn’t allow you to take a holiday.”
“Naina, you go home. I will come after sometime and serve lunch to you.”
Reluctantly, Naina turned and moved towards the home.
Image credit; Dobrinoiu Denis @ Unsplash
Written for Sadje’s What do you see # 184- International Labour Day
Do you have a dream that you want to see fulfilled?
I believe it is dreams which keeps the spark alive in life and keeps life inside us.
One thing I had been looking forward to since my college days is to become an author and publish my book. Though I have already published my first book, which is an anthology, I aspire to complete the unfinished stories, which have been kept on-hold on and off. I desire to feel that glory which a successful author feels. There are lot of stories I want to tell the world.
On a separate front, I want to read lot and lot of books and travel to see the world.
Written for Sadje’s Sunday Poser # 130- Looking Ahead
Do you often extend kindness to others? When was the last time a kindness was extended to you? I may not be kind if it is in terms of extending money or resources. Frankly speaking, extending money to someone in today’s times is a far fetched act of kindness as everyone is having their own lot of debt or priority piled. I am kind enough to let someone have my helping hand. I like to keep things in place (without fail) so that people find them quickly in need. It is things like these that I count on being kind.
What was the last mischievous thing you did? I do lot of mischief when I get along with the kids gang. Recently I teamed up with my 15 year old neice and decided to prepare noodles at 1 AM. Though this is not that mischievous, but it was really fun to cook and eat when the whole house was snoring. To top on that, she even put the empty bowls under my paternal aunty-in-law’s bed, so that nobody would know it was us. Well, I must admit being mischievous at times brings back life in us.
How often do you sing with just your voice? No radio, no music, no accompanying voices?
I always sing. To be honest (not bragging, but to answer), I am a good singer. I sing while doing chores or cooking or working. Now a days, I am singing to my 6 months old daughter. She seems to love music and I get her ready while singing, most of the times baby rhymes. It is interesting that these days when I open my mouth to start singing, I start singing baby songs, effortlessly.
Written in response to Maggie’s – Three Things – Tranquil Thursday #12
Reading was my hobby since childhood. During my school days, my father used to buy children magazines for us very often. ‘Champak’, ‘Nandan’, ‘Balhans’ and few other Indian child magazines like these were a frequent visitor to my house, mostly in Hindi, and sometimes in English. We used to solve the puzzles and riddles in those magazines together with our mother. They were always the most awaited thing of the magazine. I remember I was so fond of reading these magazines that I wanted to miss school to stay at home and read them and in school I used to miss my newly bought colorful book.
Later I discovered the huge world of novels in my school library. Once I had issued ‘The Adventures of Tom Sawyer’ by Mark Twain and tried reading it but could not finish it that time (I guess I was too young to finish reading a novel back then). Later, I got really interested in Indian fiction novels and read lot of them. Once I started understanding the amazing world of novels and writing styles, I explored more and read the famous classics like ‘Jane Eyre’ by Charlotte Bronte, ‘Little Women’ by Louisa May Alcott, all time popular like ‘Tuesdays with Morrie’ by Mitch Albom, ‘The Kite Runner’ by Khaled Hosseini, ‘To kill a mockingbird’ by Harper Lee and many more. I kept reading, though slow at times but never stopped. I am a slow reader; I stop to admire the intricacy and beauty of words and described scenes; for what else is the beauty of literature?
Last year I read 22 books (I know that’s not a big number but it is for me as it is the max number of books I ever read in a year). During the time when I was expecting, reading was my most favourite activity. I selected light reads and used to read them day and night. It used to soothe me and lighten up my anxiety levels.
Personally I believe reading provides an escape from the reality (not because reality isn’t nice but we all need a break at times), takes us to another world where we can breathe and live. In other words, one can live two lives at a time. Reading may not be enjoyable for everyone, but I think they haven’t tasted the bliss yet.
What’s your take on reading? Do you read often or you are a movie person? What’s your favourite genre of novels? Share your thoughts on reading books.
Rita is over the moon today. She looks radiant and content. She is joyful and upbeat more than anything. She tip-toed and danced all her way from school towards her home – a clay hut on the bank of the river. Her school bag hangs loosely on her left shoulder, as if it’s empty and she could not feel its weight, though it was full of books.
When Phulwa-the gardener asked her the reason for her happiness, she told him that today was her last exam and all her papers have gone really well. Now her father, a farmer, would let her study further. She told that she wants to study a lot and become a scientist. Phulwa patted her on the back and congratulated her.
Rita went ahead whistling her way towards her home.
I walk past the empty lanes, The gardens look deserted, Not much to catch my eyes, I search for a glint so bright, Up on the wall a flower blooms, And my eyes lit up to the view, It’s a yellow bud, rose I guess, So tiny but bright enough, To light up the barren lanes, Engulfing all gloomy hints.
