Friday Fictioneers is hosted by the wonderful Rochelle, the undisputed master of what I call Sound Bite Fiction.
She sets the weekly challenge, and the standard.
Today’s curious photo by Janet Webb is again from 2013. It intrigued me then, and it intrigues me now.
This is my take on it from those long gone days, back when I was hardly more than a laddie!
The idea, as always, is to write a story of around 100 words based on the picture, below.
© Janet Webb
This is the hardest reading I have ever tried. I am not sure it works too well.
Rock Pool
Hurry, Grandpa, there might be crabs in this one.
Oops, I just put my foot in there, I’m all wet!
And look at that funny thing, it looks like a sponge, is it a sponge?
Oh, is it?
Why is there a wasp nest on the beach?
Do you know everything, Grandpa?
I’m going to look in here for crabs.
Oh, look, fish, lots of little fish!
There might be crabs under this rock, it’s quite big.
Will you help me please, Grandpa?
It’s a bit heavy and I’ve got my feet all wet again!
Grandpa?
Where …..?
Grandpa!
MUMMY!!!!!
I always knew rock pools were dangerous places. Nice buildup of tension and a mysterious cliff-hanger of a finish.
Scary!
Great stuff, like always!
This seems so innocent and joyful through most of the story. The boy thinks Grandpa knows everything then, Grandpa disappears or the boy got lost. Either would be frightening for the boy who wants his mom now. Nice write CE. Great twist at the end.
Who was lost? Grandpa or grandson? Either way, it hurts!
I love the way you say, “Mummy!” 🙂 It’s similar to the way I whine, “Connie.”
The sudden tension at the end was expertly done. I loved it!
Great dialogue – and thank goodness the child’s mother was there to pcik up both him and his grandpa.
So fun until the heartbreaking end. Great one!
thank you so much for sharing this post
have a very happy thursday
Kisses
The voice of the child is amazing, wandering from one little wonder to the next. But poor Grandpa? What happened? Evil cliffhanger here…
Just reading the story I can imagine the spoken version would be tricky. Good one.
Oh dear! I hope Grandpa wasn’t swallowed up by a sea monster!
Poor kid. Must be terrifying for him. Hopefully Grandpa has just decided to have a little snooze. You can see the hysteria in his voice when he calls for his mum
Oh the eagerness of youth… i hope that grandpa was just left behind his running feet… I keep my fingers crossed for grandpa.
Poor Grandpa, I do hope he is okay! Great atmosphere and description to set the scene.
The tension ramps up at the end there, and the voice is so right! Well done, CE. I hope Mummy got there in time to help.
I agree with Rochelle and must admit I read it and listened at the same time. Lovely twist at the end.
Dear CE,
Hearing you read was even more entertaining than your story. Although you left me wondering what calamity has befallen Grandpa. 8O.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Skilfully uses the spaces between words
Ooh, you’re evil. You give us such a sweet piece of dialogue, a lovely wander on a beach – the voice is great by the way – then snatch all that warmth away with three words –
Where …..?
Grandpa!
MUMMY!!!!!
Very nicely paced and constructed – tense stuff, C.
Evil is good, thank you!
Happy you enjoyed.
Oh, yes definitely evil in a good way 🙂