Looking Too Close

The building appears to be abandoned.

But I find myself wondering about the details.

Why did they put up strips of wood to cover the windows instead of solid sheets of plywood?  Strips allow weather to pass through between them. They also allow light in.

Over one window it says, “No Trespassing.” It’s scrawled by hand. A sign would have looked more official. The words tell you not to go in, but their location marks the only place you could get in.

I figure somebody is still using the building for something. But don’t ask me to go check it out.

 

(Written for Friday Fictioneers. Follow this link if you would like to see the picture or if you would like to enter the challenge.)

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Friday Fictioneers: The Messenger

Copyright-Al Forbes

The facade of the government building was crumbling. The new President called it a disgrace. Too bad he was yet unfamiliar with intrigue.

He suggested an artist to do the work. Security failed to mention their concerns; They didn’t want to start off on the wrong foot.

New parapets were put in place. And then the decorative headpiece was added.

If you could get closer you would see one nostril conceals a camera watching everyone come and go. The support holding it up connects to the presidential office with a listening device. And one pupil expertly hides a transmitter.

Yes, Mercury is still a messenger.

WELCOME TO FRIDAY FICTIONEERS. 

As always, writers are encouraged to be as innovative as possible with the prompt and 100 word constraints. 

Henry David Thoreau said it best.

“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.”

THE CHALLENGE:  Write a one hundred word story that has a beginning, middle and end. (No one will be ostracized for going a few words over the count.)

THE KEY:  Make every word count.

This is one of the writing challenges I have enjoyed of the past couple of months. If you are interested in joining in, follow the link above and have fun.

The Fishpond

Friday Fictioneers is one of several weekly flash fiction writing challenges that I sometimes participate in.  If you wish you can follow the link to see you to enter as well. Below is a picture used as the prompt for this weeks challenge

Copyright–Douglas M. Macilroy

 

Rick loved being a leader, but he hated politics.

He walked to the courtyard of the state congressional offices and stared down into the fish pond.

A lobbyist approached, “Senator Tyler can I have a few minutes of your time?”

“Sure, just make an appointment with my secretary.”

The man grumbled an apology and left.

Rick sprinkled breadcrumbs into the pond; he pitied the fish fighting for their share.

Only took a few minutes for the majority leader to find him, “Rick, the oil lobby is a crucial part of our reelection strategy.”

Rick pitied the politician’s fighting for crumbs in their fishpond.

Pieces

copyright – Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

Pieces

 

A motherboard, a power supply, and a piano keyboard; inspect it all piece by piece. Put it all back together, and it still doesn’t work.

Katie spoke. “We don’t have the rent money.”

Jason felt like a failure. He couldn’t fix it.

“I’ll talk to the landlord, maybe wear my waitress uniform.”

Again the pieces are separated. Each one worked apart, but failed when put together.

“I love you. But I am just so sick of this.”

He wanted it to work, but wishes hadn’t fixed anything. What could he say?

Katie went to the bedroom. He heard her sobbing.

 

Friday Fictioneers is a website and weekly writing challenge that allows people to write short pieces based on some kind of a prompt. This weeks prompt is the picture above. These pieces are linked together and all the writers get to know each other and offer positive feedback. This particular one is not a contest, it’s more like a community. If interested follow the link and read the details.