Charli Mills | But I Smile Anyway...

April 16: Flash Fiction Challenge – A Stir-Crazy World

17 Apr 2020 24 Comments

by Ritu in #CarrotRanch Tags: 99-Word Fiction, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Carrot Ranch, Charli Mills, Stir- Crazy

Charli’s Carrot Ranch Prompt this week:

April 16, 2020, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about something crazy. Laugh like crazy, show the setting of stir-crazy or go off the rails on a crazy train. Have fun with the word and the situation, but go where the prompt leads!

A Stir-Crazy World

I can’t help but laugh.
 
When else have we seen people:
Lunge for loo roll?  
Fisticuffs over flour?
Battle for bread?
Scuffle over sanitiser?
Persist over pasta?
Tiff over tinned tomatoes?
Dual over dried milk powder?
Brawl over bleach?
Challenge over chicken?
 
The world is stir-crazy right now.
All we can do is
Sit it out
Walk it out
Watch it out
Read it out
Write it out
Create it out
Cook it out
Eat it out
 
We’ll come out the other end
Possibly fatter
Maybe thinner
Hopefully more compassionate
Definitely grateful
 
And able to still raise a smile.

Ritu 2020

April 16: Flash Fiction Challenge

April 9: Flash Fiction Challenge – Unveiled

11 Apr 2020 36 Comments

by Ritu in #CarrotRanch Tags: 99-Word Fiction, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Carrot Ranch, Charli Mills, Sheild Your Face

Charli’s Carrot Ranch prompt this week:

April 9, 2020, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story that declares, shield your face. It can be a knight of old, a doctor, or a senior citizen. What is the circumstance? Who makes the declaration? Go where the prompt leads!

Unveiled

I stepped outside, onto our rooftop veranda.
The sun, still warm, was beginning to set.
I needed to collect the clothes from the line, but first, I just had to make the most of this moment.
As far as the eye could see, roof terraces were visible, but, unlike other days, no one was out on them.
This virus had scared everyone.
Slowly, I unhooked my veil, allowing the warm rays to touch my face.
This was a bliss I was rarely allowed to experience.
“Shield your face!” My father appeared.
I scrambled to reinstate the veil. “Sorry Abba.”

April 9: Flash Fiction Challenge

January 9: Flash Fiction Challenge – Over The Threshold

10 Jan 2020 25 Comments

by Ritu in #CarrotRanch, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: 99-Word Fiction, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Carrot Ranch, Charli Mills

Charli’s Carrot Ranch 99 word fiction prompt this week:

January 9, 2019, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about a carried wife. Why is she being carried? Who is carrying? Pick a genre if you’d like and craft a memorable character. Go where the prompt leads!

Nina giggled as Rakesh swept her up into his arms.

“Come on, Wifey, let’s get you inside.”

“Stop it!” She jumped down as soon as they stepped over the threshold, and turned towards him. “Why did you carry me over? We’re not English, you know!”

“Oh, I thought that’s what people do when they get married.”

“Have you never been to an Indian wedding before? Come on. I know you were born in the US, but surely you know some of the traditions,” she took his hand. “I know. If your parents were alive, it would have been different…”

January 9: Flash Fiction Challenge

September 19: Flash Fiction Challenge – Interlude

20 Sep 2019 34 Comments

by Ritu in #CarrotRanch Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Carrot Ranch, Charli Mills, Interlude

Charli’s Carrot Ranch prompt this week:

September 19, 2019, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story about an interlude. It can be a pause between two key moments, the pause between acts in a play, an intermission, or a temporary amusement Go where the prompt leads you!

Sweet Interlude

Sophia leaned against the headboard, taking a drag of her cigarette.

She smiled at her reflection in the mirror; hair messed up, lipstick a mere stain left on her lips.

She watched him pull his pants back on.

“Hurry, Sophia!”

Marco slipped his shirt on, still buttoning as he left.

Voices. Her supervisor was coming.

She flushed the cigarette down the toilet, changed, and flung the door open.

“Oh Sir, these guests, too much! Smoking in here. Smell it!”

She bustled out, to the next room waiting to be cleaned, wondering when her next interlude with Marco would be…

September 19: Flash Fiction Challenge

September 12: Flash Fiction Challenge – The Greatest Gift

13 Sep 2019 36 Comments

by Ritu in #CarrotRanch Tags: 99-Word Fiction, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Carrot Ranch, Charli Mills, The Greatest Gift

Charli’s Carrot Ranch prompt this week:

September 12, 2019, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story that includes the greatest gift. Answer it as if it were a question, or show what it could be. Go where the prompt leads you!

The Greatest Gift

“What would be the greatest gift you could give me? Honestly?” Maggie looked at her husband, who was trying his hardest to make her looming 40^th birthday one to remember.

“Of course, honestly love. It’s your big day. The kids and I want to make sure it’s a day to remember for you. Don’t be shy.”

“Alright then, the greatest gift you could give me is time.”

“What, like a new watch or something?”

“Not a watch, John, no. Time. Every day. Help me out a bit. Act like their dad, not their babysitter. That’d be the greatest gift.”

September 12: Flash Fiction Challenge