Congratulations to winner Chris Allinotte with his feral beast Queen of Cats. Purrrrrfect.
Today's words for you are:
- Fellowship
- Rain Forest
- Goat
Usual rules - 100 words max, please - flash fiction or poetry using all of the words above. Please add your entries in the Comments box below. You have all week to enter. Winner will be announced next Friday. Please tweet about your entry, using #fridayflash if possible.
And the race is on...
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Thursday 4th November - 23:30 p.m. GMT. Friday Prediction now closed!
Winner will be announced just after midnight.
______________________
Thursday 4th November - 23:30 p.m. GMT. Friday Prediction now closed!
Winner will be announced just after midnight.
______________________
I'd love to do the Prediction this week Lily, but things are just getting in the way... :(
ReplyDeletePixie x
I have no brain energy at the mo but I'll tweet about it anyway to hopefully send some others your way :-)
ReplyDeleteOh and congrats to Chris for winning last week's!
Woo hoo! Thanks Lily - thought I'd dq'd by penning two last week.
ReplyDeleteI'll get a little something going for this in a bit. Probably have something sexy and mean in it again. ;)
Okay - I'm back:
ReplyDeleteAdams mopped his brow, and swore at the heat. Behind him, Tegan and Sharpe struggled to drag the little grey goat through the dense foliage.
"Are we almost there?" called Tegan.
Adams saw the enormous kapok tree up ahead and said simply, "Yes."
Joining hands around their offering, the group proclaimed their fellowship to the nymphs, and begged their favours.
A moment later, four slender, female shapes broke away from the tree and hummed toward them on delicate insect wings.
They're gorgeous, thought Adams, as the world's last true fairies angled straight at him, except for the fangs, that is.
Ok Lily, I'm earlier than the past couple of weeks. Here's my offering. Hope you like. (I'm laughing inside)
ReplyDeleteThe Sacrifice.
“It’s just the rain Forest.”
“But, Forest not like it. Momma said, life was like…..”
“Fuck! Look, if you want to join the Fellowship, you’re going to have to go out there and sacrifice the goat.”
Forest looked at the man and then out of the window, at the animal chained to a post.
“Forest want to join. Give me knife.”
He took the knife and walked out into the rain. The animal bucked and squealed as Forest slit its throat and began smearing blood all over his face.
“Bet his mum didn’t see that in her box of chocolates.”
Holy $#!t David, that's awesome. I'm still laughing.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Chris. As soon as I saw rain forest I had to. Hope Lily doesn't tell me off. LOL!!
ReplyDeleteNot so bad yourelf, mate. I actually thought you'd gone all "fantasy" soft and then that killer last line. Excellent!!
David! Slap.
ReplyDeleteChris (she ignores the naughty boy at the back of the class. BUT don't think I don't know you two are up to something. I'm keeping my eye on you both.)
Where were we, ah yes. Lovely little fairy tale. Really enjoyed the line "...four slender, female shapes broke away from the tree and hummed toward them on delicate insect wings." I have no doubt the fangs are true. v-v
I read The Sacrifice three times, David before I spotted it. Excellent! Groaned like hell. Very clever indeed. Although I was sad for the fluffy little goat.
Maude's plan, a rain forest wedding, died in tatters. She breathed shallowly. Monkeys howled as a background chorus to the phantom -- remembered -- screams of her maid of honor. William brushed a mosquito from Maude's neck.
ReplyDeleteEyes flashed as blackness crashed through ferns and rent seeping stripes of blood across bleating fur.
Shivering, Maude whispered. "A goat, here?"
"Hors d'oeuvres. Quiet, love."
A fever burned from William's skin lit by a supernatural glow. His lips moaned softly with pleasure. She withdrew from William. A twig snapped. The panther's eyes froze to focus on Maude. The last of the fellowship.
Chris - nice specific details; I liked the placement with kapok trees and the ending with fangs is a nice twist.
ReplyDeleteDavid - there's an almost subtle undertone of an anthropomorphised forest committing the sacrifice and although the text points to other meanings, I like that reading of it.
Aidan, thanks for the comment. Yours is very cool, also seems a nice fresh take on the shapeshifter mythos.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment, AIden. Love your story. Very atmospheric in so few words. Job well done.
ReplyDeleteHappy Halloween everyone!!!!!
One spirit who works with me and guards me is screaming mad at the moment with everyone saying 'Happy Halloween!' He insists it is a dangerous time and those who go out this night are in danger ... be warned, that comes from t'other side.
ReplyDeleteChris, congrats on the win! Everyone else, great entries already, now let me see what I can do ...
'I want to join the 'fellowship’, you know those who want to preserve the rain forests and do their bit for the poor natives in Africa...’
‘Oh grow up, Brendan, this is the 21st century! The rain forests are doomed and the natives can get on with it!’
‘No, I’m serious; in everyone’s name I’m buying a goat this Christmas and doing my bit. All right? I’ve made up my mind. All I need do is put a note in their Christmas card.’
End of my dream. I wanted to find loving words in mine, and a diamond engagement ring.
Thanks Chris & David.
ReplyDeleteAntonia, I had an image of goats eating all of the rain forest. Interesting twist at the end. I recommend against holding the wedding in the rain forest ;)
thanks,Aidan! Puzzled over this one for a while and then - hey presto - it appeared. I am so pleased to be writing fiction of my own once again it isn't true! (usually taking dictation from spirit authors.)
ReplyDeleteNicely written, Antonia. Really liked that one.
ReplyDeletethanks, David! Very difficult, isn't it, telling a complete story in so few words.
ReplyDeleteAntonia - nicely done. You've got a great balance between the altruistic motives vs. the woman who has been waiting forever for her man to get off the fence, only to find that he's gotten her a piece of a goat. It's funny, and tragic, and not a little moving.
ReplyDeleteSorry for the absence - child's birthday 'n' tings.
ReplyDeleteAidan; a gloriously atmospheric palette of the senses. You have such a skill for mystery and this shines through here. Very well done.
Antonia; tee hee. I can just see your character's glum face as she realises she's not going to get what what she hoped for.
Chris, thank you!
ReplyDeleteLily, me too ...
I have to say this weekly challenge is doing me a lot of good. I came off painkillers two weeks ago, give or take a few days, and now they are out of my system people are telling me I look brighter and am obviously thinking better, 'cos I am writing fiction again and it feels so damn good!
ReplyDeleteIt was a big decision as I suffer from a lot of migraines but am beginning to find there might be truth in the recurring headache thing linked to prescription drugs, because they are easing back dramatically.
Be well, Antonia.
ReplyDeleteHere's my belated attempt.
Oracle
“I did it Pridian, I got in!”
“Huh?”
“Capra Sapientia”
“What – The Fellowship of the She-Goat? Are you mad”
Livia held the unrolled scroll before her lover’s eyes. He turned away, unable to read.
“It won’t be forever. You know I’ve been waiting for this, training my entire life. Please be happy for me.”
She stroked Pridian’s chest, ran her fingers through the coiling hair.
“They say there are jungles that weep sacred tears; they call them the Rain Forests. It’s where I’ll be initiated.”
The blind man reached out to caress Livia’s face.
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
Ack. Must always "sign out" of the common e-mail...
ReplyDeleteLoved this one Lily. You gave it us an immediate time and place, and a feast for the senses. You must continue this - even as part of a future prediction.
Well done.
Thanks Chris. I can imagine they may well be back.
ReplyDeletewhoo, good one, Lily! Like that a lot.
ReplyDeleteI like that Lily, particularly it gets across a difference in culture and thinking about the place. Liked the image of weeping sacred tears.
ReplyDeleteBack for a second try, though I had no chance to write something last Friday (or any other day until today's lunchtime). And somehow these three prompts triggered yet another story that's almost all dialogue. I swear, I don't always write like this ;)
ReplyDeleteFREE FILM FEST FRIDAY!
* * * * * * * *
Fellowship of the Ring
Purple Rain - Forest Gump
The Men Who Stare at Goat
* * * * * * * *
"Like my poster?"
"You misspelled 'Forrest', and 'Goats'."
"Okay, but what about the graphics?"
"People will definitely see it with those neon swirls. But, umm, how did you choose these movies? Is there a theme or. . . something?"
"Oh, yeah, it's commentary on the fragile nature of fantasy, how people fool themselves into thinking their imagined worlds are reality."
"Mmm-hmm. In other words, this is all you found on that illegal download site?"
"Well, that too. Anyway, grab the paste and let's go!"
- - -
Not sure if it was the Halloween influence, but reading Chris, David and Aidan's stories one after the other was a very creepy and disturbing experience ;) Antonia, I have my own personal reasons for hating those send-an-animal charities, so I can relate. And Lily's story, for some reason, seems to cry out for the kind of big-panel comic art that the guys from Penny Arcade are fond of sometimes. I can almost picture it (though I couldn't draw anything to save my life).
ReplyDeleteWelcome back Bill! And thanks for following @LilyChilds on Twitter too.
ReplyDeleteLoved "Purple Rain - Forest Gump". Very funny indeed. A great piece of dialogue. I want those posters!
Lily - Loved it and it's your show so the host can surely be late..........but don't do it again. :-)
ReplyDeleteBill - Like it, Bill. I see we thought along the same lines on "rain forest". Nice job.
Okay, so I actually managed to come up with something. Not that great, but hey, it's something...
ReplyDeleteONE MAN'S DEBT
The wind battered hard against my face, rain piercing my cheeks. The rope that was fastened to my goat began to slip from my fingers. I pulled my coat tighter around my body, worried I wasn’t going to reach my destination.
I quickly glanced back behind me, to steal a glimpse of my home, the rainforest. A lump formed in my throat, couldn’t believe I’d left the fellowship.
I looked down at the goat, sighed. This is what my life had come to. Just me, my family goat and a long and winding pathway to pay my debt...
Hey, hey, late to the party this week! (OK bullied by Lil's 'tweets'!!)
ReplyDeleteBrilliant, witty and varied stories this week, folks, btw!
Anyway, with the fading hours of this weeks' challenge ticking away, here's a (literally scuffed-off-the-hoof!)last-minute rendition!
NOT-SO DUMB ANIMAL
The goat smiled. If people left their stuff lying around and it got trashed that was their look-out. He licked his lips and swallowed, then bent down to munch another page.
Mmmmm….. ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’. He loved quality books; so much more to get his teeth into, and looking further into the bag there were other Tolkien goodies for ‘afters’.
He idly wondered how many rain forests had been pulped to satisfy the reading masses then froze in horror as a thin volume slipped out of the bag – “101 Goat Stew Recipes”
Suddenly he wasn’t hungry anymore.
Love the last-minute entries!!
ReplyDeletePixie - this is just great. I could genuinely feel the excellently described weather hitting my own face, needling in. Filled with absolute despair and really different, with your protagonist leaving rather than joining the fellowship. A skilful write.
Sue - hello!! I just love the thought of a goat smiling, wily old things that they are. You've perfectly captured the attitude "He idly wondered how many rain forests had been pulped..." I bet he raised a lazy eyebrow when that last book appeared. And always that literary reference from you. Splendid.
Pixie & Sue - " great last minute entries. Loved them both. Especially liked "101 Goat Stew Recipes."
ReplyDeleteExcellent week, Lily!
My first go...here goes.
ReplyDeleteShadows of Kukulcan
Beguiled streams of heat rose into the bosomy, russet tinted sky, shimmered. The rainforest hummed.
The last of their water had evaporated into the realm of the Gods.
Fingers tightened around the knife, as though grasping to life itself. Below him, at the foot of the pyramid, the men, women and children, the fellowship of the rains, waited. Watched.
He heard the drums, beating like a heart, the rattle of the Shaman’s beads to entice the spirits; laboured breath slicing the stillness.
He looked up, saw the Sun; relentless, spiteful and bloody.
He slit the goat’s throat. Prayed for rain.
Hey there Ally! Welcome in.
ReplyDeleteA powerful and exquisitely detailed tale of sacrifice to the supreme Mayan snake God, perfectly evoking the desperation of a starving people trying to survive beneath the burning, suffocating heat. Beautiful.
Interestingly, I first read Kukulcan (wrongly) as an interpretation of Cuchulain.
Thanks Lily. Those three words were perfect, and nice that the spirit of that place is still with me.
ReplyDelete