#CarrotRanch | But I Smile Anyway...

October 3: Flash Fiction Challenge – Chai Time

03 Oct 2022 14 Comments

by Ritu in #CarrotRanch Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Carrot Ranch, Chai Time, Flash Fiction, Tea

Charli’s Carrot Ranch Prompt, this week:

October 3, 2022, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about any ritual involving tea. It can be a daily afternoon tea prepared specifically or the reading of tea leaves in a cup. What do you know? What do you imagine? Is your story deep and ponderous or bright and flash? Go where the prompt leads!

Chai Time

Water simmers as I add tea leaves.

I peruse my spice cupboard, wondering which to add, today.

Fennel seeds, cardamom pods, cloves, some cinnamon, too.

Each releases its unique scent into the air as it is added to the deep brown liquid.

Milk added, the boiling halts as the liquid begins its simmering journey again.

A careful eye is needed as the bubbles increase and the froth begins to rise.

Gas down, froth down.

Gas up, froth up.

Three times, then off.

Strain it. Pour it into a cup.

Perfect masala tea to warm the cockles of anyone’s heart.

https://carrotranch.com/2022/10/03/october-3-story-challenge-in-99-words/

April 15: Flash Fiction Challenge – Technophobe

16 Apr 2021 28 Comments

by Ritu in #CarrotRanch Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Carrot Ranch, Flash Fiction, Technophobe

Charli’s Carrot Ranch Prompt, this week:

April 15, 2021, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story that seeds generosity. Who is generous and why? Think of generosity as planting a future outcome. Go where the prompt leads!

Technophobe

“No, no, Mum, just scroll down. Tap the one you want.” Nisha rolled her eyes.

She’d been on the phone with her mother for an hour now, trying to help her set up her new phone, so she could enjoy the family video calls, along with everyone else.

But this hour was worth it.

Finally, Mum would be able to see her family, regularly. Nisha hadn’t seen her for over six months.

Just then her phone beeped.

“Good to see you, Mum! Now, if you could just hold the phone higher. I don’t want to see up your nose…”

April 8: Flash Fiction Challenge – Pint-Sized Heroes

09 Apr 2021 28 Comments

by Ritu in #CarrotRanch Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Carrot Ranch, Flash Fiction, Heroes

Charli’s Carrot Ranch Flash Fiction Prompt:

April 8, 2021, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story that “rethinks the hero.” Define the hero, comparing or contrasting to the classic definition. Break the mold. What happens to the hero in the cave? Is it epic or everyday? Is therre resistance or acceptance? Go where the prompt leads!

Pint-Sized Heroes

Four-year-old Nina watched her classmate’s plight curiously.

Joey had been struggling with that same jigsaw for the last ten minutes, and no guidance from his teachers was accepted.

Slowly, Nina sidled along until she was next to him. A pint-sized compadre, not as much of a threat as the adults who towered above.

She tentatively picked up the correct piece, turned it the right way, and handed it to Joey.

He popped it in, the tongue of determination that had been sticking out slipped back in, turning into a smile.

I think Joey just found his new jigsaw hero.

https://carrotranch.com/2021/04/09/april-8-flash-fiction-challenge-2/

April 1: Flash Fiction Challenge – Gone

02 Apr 2021 43 Comments

by Ritu in #CarrotRanch Tags: 99 Words, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Carrot Ranch, Flash Fiction, Gone

Charli’s Carrot Ranch Prompt, dedicated to our wonderful friend, Sue Vincent:

April 1 2021, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about a swift passage. You can take inspiration from any source. Who is going where and why. What makes it swift? Go where the prompt leads!

Gone

Gone.

Just like that.

One minute, he was there, the next minute, not.

I’d sat by his side for days and nights, stroking his hand, answering to his quiet murmurs, sponging him down, dripping refreshing liquid onto his parched lips.

I knew it was coming, and I wanted to squeeze memories into every second of life that he had left, with him.

And yet, he still managed to go, without allowing me to say goodbye.

He squeezed my hand, so I turned for the glass, and I returned to a face, smiling, at peace, finally.

Just like that.

Gone.

https://carrotranch.com/2021/04/01/april-1-flash-fiction-challenge-2/

March 25: Flash Fiction Challenge

26 Mar 2021 22 Comments

by Ritu in #CarrotRanch Tags: 99-Word Fiction, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Carrot Ranch, The Great Escape

Charli’s Carrot Ranch Prompt:

March 25 2021, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write an escape. It can be daring or subtle. Who is escaping from what and why? Go where the prompt leads!

The Great Escape

I gingerly opened the cage to add the birdseed into the pot. Heer sat there, staring at me with her beady eyes.

She had a tendency to peck, so the faster I could get my hand in and out the better.

Having deposited what I needed to, into the pot, I slammed the door shut, and breathed a sigh of relief and turned to see the cat watching me, or rather watching something behind me.

Somehow the cage door had bounced open again, and Heer had hopped out of the cage!

That great escape was going to end badly!

https://carrotranch.com/2021/03/25/march-25-flash-fiction-challenge-2/