Down the Hatch - FF #5

 

“Finally Free - #5” - Prediction challenge for July 11, 2024

3 word prompt - hatch, toss, uncertain – 100 words or less

“Down the Hatch” - FF # 5 

Neither praying nor fireworks had helped Sheriff Wilkins’ frame of mind. The uncertainty of what might be coming ate at him. Was Martha, dead Caleb and the livestock deaths to become a dark rabbit hole or just a convergence of unrelated events?

 “Wilky?”

A hand rested on his shoulder and made him jump. Wilkins turned.

Neighbor Jerry stood holding a tray holding a jug and two tumblers containing what looked suspiciously like moonshine.

“Thought you might like to toss back a couple shots of my best ‘shine.”

Jerry handed Wilky a glass and raised his own glass.

“Down the hatch.”

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Had a bit of a struggle with this 100 words. The prompt words were not an issue. It was .... well, I am just not sure what held it up other than each time I was sure it was done, I rethought the point I wanted to make or the flow, Hell, this is the 5th rendition of this serial entry. I just had to stop and move on.

The musical choice gave me trouble too. I wanted to share some music I am told I used to rock out to at the age of 3 and 4. The strongest radio station in the Colorado Springs in the early 1950s was a country station out of Denver. Country and Bluegrass were my first music. And though I would later include a wide variety of musical genres to my quiver, the old country and bluegrass have never left . Here are the Stanley Brothers with their version of "Mountain Dew". Not about a soft drink however. 

4th of July - FF #4

The Prediction – Finally Free #4 – 100 words

Due Midnight Thur, 4th July – Prompts – Delirious, Open Song

4^th of July – Finally Free #4

Sheriff Wilkins sat back in his lawn chair, rubbed his bloated belly and opened a beer. He thought that might be the best barbecue he had ever grilled. His guests seemed to agree. They laid or sat in a culinary stupor waiting for the fireworks coming up.

Wilkins could not relax. Martha King's recent delirium and break from reality would not let him rest. Closing his eyes, Martha’s anguished face, her body wrapped in a strait jacket, was all he could see.

Like he did in Sunday school so many years ago, Wilky began to quietly sing “The Lord’s Prayer”.

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There is only one tune fitting for "The 4th of July" and it is Jimi Hendrix's interpretation of America's National Anthem. Still gives me chills after all these years. What I find ironic is that when Jimi played this at Woodstock in 1969, the anal retentive panty bunching conservatives of that era called him a commie and a traitor for disrespecting the anthem like he did. Today, the Right Wingin MAGA maniacs have tried to steal it and make it their own.

 My opinion then is the same as it is now. Jimi's version is the best version ever.

Dead Livestock - "Finally Free" Serial

“Finally Free - #3”  -  Prediction Challenge for Fri. 6/21/2024

Prompts - drive embrace, omen -100 words

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Dead Livestock

The Sheriff sat back and sighed. He hated paperwork. He didn’t have to embrace it, but he had to get it done. Until the paperwork was finished and filed or passed along, he couldn’t relax. Finally, he could kickback.

The phone rang.

“Sheriff Wilkins.”

“Wilky, you gotta come….

“Sam, calm yourself, …. If I drive down there and it’s another ………

“No false alarm Wilky… Promise. ….I told you it were a bad omen not tossing Martha in jail.”

“Why, what’s she done now?”

“She’s gone plumb crazy. She’s … she’s killin my livestock.”

“With what? I took her shotgun.”

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Adding music to my posts over on "Lost in the BoZone" has become a nice addition for me. I often spend an hour or more cruising YouTube looking for music I might fit with the piece I wanted to post. Since I began to regularly include the music, I have discovered worthy new music at a rate I never imagined before.

So I will try to include a tune or two with the writing I post here in "BoZone Too". I thought a tune from a Brit with real talent might be a good first choice. Here is Ren with  "Violet's Tale". Ren got his start as a busker on th estreets of London, Liverpool, maybe others. His band, The Big Push were amazing. At some point around 2010 I think, Ren developed an auto immune problem and was hospitalized which also messed with his head. He persevered, overcame his medical issues enough to begin producing music again, only under his own name. The man is quite the wordsmith also.

Finally Free

 

“Jeezum Martha, “What the Hell happened?”

Sheriff Wilkins bent closer to the body covered in small blisters

Martha stood rigid, her legs apart, hands on her hips and rolled her eyes.

“I ain’t never been no lady of refined ways, but that don’t give him no right to treat me like a farm animal……. It was time I set myself free. I killed the sumbitch, that’s what I did.”

“Caleb was indeed a mean one alright. But what did you do?”

“ Fed him a horse nettle salad. Didn’t work, so I pulled down the ten gauge and made sure.”

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“Finally Free” – Prediction Challenge for Fri. 6/7/2024 - posted 6/5

Three word prompt - Free, nettle, refine - Max - 100 words

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The Secret of God

 The Prediction Weekly Writing Challenge

for Thursday June,16, 2022 - midnight GMT 

100 word maximum - Three words - Available, Third, Yoke

The Secret of God

Eons before any other species began to gain self awareness, our kind learned in their third epoch the most efficient method for conquering the Universe.

It wasn’t with grand, extravagant, expensive violence. No.  Cost too many lives. Instead, we learned unexpected and unseen infiltrations were consistently more successful at bringing another race or planet under our yoke.

Our asteroid will collide with Planet 13 in Quadrant 2334 soon. There will be no need to prepare to land. Available DNA strands safely ensconced deep inside this rock will ensure a successful conquest.

Patience and time is all that is needed now.

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So, for this post, I had to include two musical choices :

"Galaxy Song" - Monty Python

&

"Space Oddity" - a one off cover by Astronaut Chris Hadfield in 2013

More Shock and Awe Value

Vlad the Impaler watched his son doodling on parchment and felt a twinge of worry and regret. He hoped his son would keep the family tradition and stand tall against those who would destroy the kingdom. Current indications created little confidence that Tad could carry the Dracul torch.

Tad looked up at his father and pointed to his parchment.

“Impaling enemies willy nilly like you do is sloppy and makes the kingdom look like a ghetto. My espalier system on an iron framework is neater and has more shock and awe value per linear foot.”

Vlad smiled and stopped worrying.

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12/3/2021 - Prediction Flash Challenge - 100 words

Words for the coming week: current, espalier, regret

Entries by midnight Thursday 9th December,  new words posted Friday 10th 

                Espalier – Trained tree to grow next to a wall – usually a fruit tree.

Black Eyed Goby

The Prediction - Weekly Flash Fiction Challenge 

Words for the coming week: black-eyed pristine underwater
Entries by midnight Thursday 10th June new words posted Friday 11th

100 words

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“Never be a Black Eyed Goby.” 

Jerry looked at his new deckhand.  The kid couldn’t be more than seventeen.  But he chose here and not over in Humbolt picking pot. The kid looked uneasy but kept his eyes on Jerry.

“Yes sir. ……… What’s a Black Eyed Goby?”

Jerry looked over the dock edge and motioned the kid to join him.

“Look down there underwater. See those fish around the piling.”

“Yes sir.”

“Well, they are Gobies.  Gobies rush around the pristine waters looking busy and useful.  Yet, they are all flash and no cash. Don’t be one of them.”

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A Cicatrical Reminder ll

The Prediction  challenge – due 4/9/2020 – 100 words

        (3 word prompt – biscuit, quilt, suffice)

A Cicatrical Reminder  ll

“Suffice it to say, creating a quilt is like baking different biscuits shoulder to shoulder in a pan.”

“Really?”  Though not listening. Will knew he should respond. 

Will’s acknowledgement sounded hollow to Beatrice.  She turned.  Will was totally engrossed in a repeat soccer game from five years ago.  He had tuned out the here and now in the first half.

Smiling now, Beatrice considered revenge.  Her eyes searched the tools in her quilting basket. 

“You know what they say about dialog?”

“Uh, No dear.”

“It takes two people to have one.” 

The quilting ruler found its mark.

And Will jumped.
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It has been a good while since I participated in Flash of any kind.  I decided to use a same title I used it on another Prediction piece from 11/08/2016.  "Cicatrical" was one of the prompt words then.  Drove me wacky working it into the tale.

A Jazzy Gizmo

Prediction Flash Challenge - Due June 15, 2018
100 words or less - Prompts - Apparatus, Jazz, Deduct

Cyrus stood at the bus stop carefully cradling his latest invention in both arms.  Standing behind and to the left of Cyrus, a street person fidgeted and mumbled unintelligibly.

Street Guy shuffled around and faced Cyrus.  “What’s with the jazzy gizmo bub?” 

Cyrus’ face contorted as he stepped back.  “Sir, this is a carefully constructed scientific apparatus.  Deduct forethought and purpose and what you end up with is something created by accident and happy mishap.  That would be your jazzy gizmo.”

“I guess there’s no point small talking is there?”  Street Guy pulled a knife out.  “Give me your wallet.”
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Image courtesy of Henrik Pienge Jakobson

Prosperity

Prediction Flash – 1/5/18

100 words or less

Prompt – clot, feather, third

Prosperity – 99 words

His first two rides before the grand opening of Manhattan’s new subway had been gentile affairs.  Proper ladies in feather festooned hats drinking tea and eating delicate biscuits in one car, while gentlemen in tails smoked fat cigars in another. Henry was sure the future belonged to steel.  Steel would bring prosperity to those with vision and a better life for all. 

That was six months ago.  Today, on his third ride with paying customers, Henry decided that if being crammed in with this sweltering clot of humanity was prosperity, he was not interested.  Then someone stole his wallet.

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Not sure why I have struggled so much this week with my flash.  From past experience though, I know I should keep on keepin on.  Frustration is not a reason to quit.  Pure laziness is, but not frustration.

Later ............................................

Shut Down - 100 words -

The Prediction weekly flash
100 words or less - Prompt - gutter rime thrift

Shut Down

A rime of hoarfrost encircled open lips. Breath came in short and thrifty gasps as his body began to shut down.  Harry did not notice the cold of the stone gutter seeping through his freezing blood and cloth of his tattered coat..  His body had begun to shut down. 

The day’s light faded.  No life flashed before his eyes, no moments of self recrimination.  Harry accepted his fate calmly, wishing only that Death would find him before the secret creatures of the back alleys did. 

Two shadows closed in.  “Good.  Still breathing ………… Forget the saw, hand me the cleaver.”
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My first entry at the Prediction in over a year.