THE PLANT

 

This story was written for Sunday Photo Fiction — April 10th, 2016. Each week the host, Al Forbes, provides a picture prompt. The challenge for each member of the group is to write an original story or poem with no more than 200 words and inspired by the prompt.

To read the other stories written by group members just click on the link below, then click on the little blue frog in the blue box.

The link to the other stories this week is as follows:

https://sundayphotofictioner.wordpress.com/2016/04/10/sunday-photo-fiction-april-10th-2016/

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Word Count: 2+200=202 Words

THE PLANT by P.S. Joshi

When the chemical plant first decided to build in Shaffertown the townspeople were delighted.

“There’ll be more jobs for our citizens,” boasted Mayor Markem.

There were long lines at the application office. Job interviews and hiring began.

Joey Wister saw the company president grocery shopping one day. “He looks like a big hungry wolf,”–he thought as he put groceries in his own cart.–“I can almost see fangs, and the hungry look in his eyes is the same a wolf gets when it spies a sheep. I remember the one I saw when I was in the mountains with Dad.”

“Joey,” his mother said when he told her–“you have a big imagination.”

The plant had been up and running for about six months when the overpowering stench from the river was noticed. Then a glut of dead, swollen fish started floating downstream.

Inspection by the Fish and Game Department found the plant had been dumping chemicals straight into the water. A court case was filed  that went on and on.

Swimming was prohibited.

Dave Jenkins found his well water was contaminated, undrinkable. He had to put in an expensive filter system.

It was next discovered Shaffertown’s ground was poisoned.

CASE OF THE MISSING WIFE

 

Photo Copyright: Al Forbes

This story was written for Sunday Photo Fiction–March 20th 2016. Each week the host, Al Forbes, provides a picture prompt. The challenge for each member of the group is to write an original story or poem with no more than 200 words and inspired by the prompt.

To read the other stories written by group members, just follow the link below, then click on the little blue frog in the blue box.

The link to the other stories this week is as follows:

https://sundayphotofictioner.woodpress.com/2016/03/21/sunday-photo-fiction-march-20th-2016/

Genre: Crime Fiction

Word Count: 5+200=205

CASE OF THE MISSING WIFE by P.S. Joshi

“I tell you, Mable, I haven’t seen his wife for days. There’s something wrong.”

George Mason stared at his neighbor’s house with keen interest. He’d retired and needed something to do, so turned amateur sleuth and watched his neighbor, Frank Cordill.

Mable shoved a pie into the oven. “Your imagination is running wild. I saw Ruth at the supermarket and there were bruises on her face. She must have left him for a good reason.”

“Yeh, well”–George took another look–“let’s see if he takes his boat out this year. The ice has melted now.”

In a few days, Frank hitched his trawler to his Chevy Silverado truck and drove toward Lake Michigan.

A month went by and he didn’t return.

In the paper one evening there was a big headline:

BODY FOUND IN LAKE MICHIGAN. IT’S BELIEVED TO BE MRS RUTH CORDILL. HER HUSBAND IS MISSING AS ARE HIS CAR AND BOAT. ANYONE KNOWING THE LOCATION OF FRANK CORDILL, NOTIFY THE LOCAL POLICE.

George shook his finger. “I told you, Mable. He killed her and dumped the body.”

“Yes”– Mable said as she set the table–“and you’re never, ever going to let me forget it are you?”

THE VINE-COVERED STAIRWAY

Photo Copyright: Amy Reese :

NOTE: The New Your Public Library in the United States has just uploaded nearly 200,000 digitalized images (pictures, maps, posters,etc.) anyone can use for free. They’re free of copyrights due to age so are in the public domain. The link is as follows:

http://digitalcollections.nypl.org

Here we all are again for another week. Today we’re gathered near a virtual old vine-covered stairway. Our hostess for this gathering is the gracious and talented author and artist, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. We’re the Friday Fictioneers group. Our challenge this week and every week is to each write an original story with no more than 100 words. It’s supposed to have a beginning, middle, end, and follow the picture prompt for the week. This week’s prompt was supplied by Amy Reese. Thanks, Amy.

To read the other stories by the group, just click on the link given below, then on the little blue frog in the blue box.

The link for this week’s stories is as follows:

https://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/2016/01/13/15-january-2016/

Genre: Speculative Fiction

Word Count: 100 Words

THE VINE-COVERED STAIRWAY By P.S. Joshi

Twelve-year-old Sarah was visiting her grandmother in the summer of 1967 and was bored.

Her grandmother gave permission to walk through the village, but not to go near the old estate on the edge as it was dilapidated and dangerous.

Sarah entered the village and saw the estate wall with a vine-covered stairway going to the top. It looked safe so she started to climb. It was sweltering, she felt dizzy, but finally reached the top.

Was her imagination tricking her? Stretching before her was a vast green meadow with a castle in the distance. She was in medieval dress.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

USING IMAGINATION

 

Photo Copyright: Barbara W. Beacham

This is my contribution for this week to Monday’s Finish the Story, hosted by Barbara W. Beacham. Every Monday, Barbara supplies a new picture prompt along with the first sentence for the story. The original story to be written should have only 100 to 150 additional words. I’ve bolded the first sentence given with the picture prompt.

Be sure to click on the little blue frog in the blue box, after clicking on the link, to read the other stories. The link for all the other stories is as follows:

https://mondaysfinishthestory.wordpress.com/2015/07/20/mondays-finish-the-story-july-20th-2015/

Genre: Humor Fiction

Word Count: 2+9+150=161 Words

USING IMAGINATION by P.S. Joshi

The petroglyphs told the story of an unusual event.

When caves were discovered in the state of Arizonia, some had markings on the walls, and some didn’t. Tourists in future could enrich the area.

John and George started inspecting Cave Number 10.

“John, there are no petroglyphs on these walls.”

“You have little imagination, George. I can see them.”

“Where, I don’t see even one?”

“They’re here in my mind, George, in my mind.”

With that, John pulled out small carving tools and natural paint. He first put his hand on the rock and sprayed it with paint. Next, he carved a man figure holding a spear pointed at a buffalo with large horns. Other animals and figures followed.

In the summer of 2014, Brenda led a group into Cave Number 10.

“As you see, the cave dweller drew a petroglyph of a hunt. Notice the hunter with the spear. The artist signed his work with his handprint.”