Category Archives: 100 Word Challenge

100 Word Challenge

Who Said That?

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This post is in response to the prompt at ‘100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups’ here, where you will find a list of links to all the responses. Essentially, the brief was to write 104 words, including the phrase shown in bold in my piece below.

There was once a time when Khrushchev, the Russian leader, was giving a speech in which he denounced Stalin, and in particular, some of the things he did. Suddenly, from the audience, someone shouted out something like “You were one of his men – why didn’t you do something about it?” At this, Khrushchev bellowed “WHO SAID THAT?”

Seconds ticked by. As they say, the silence was deafening. Evidently, the heckler did not dare to reply. No-one else spoke. Finally, Khrushchev broke the silence himself, in gentle tones that were in dramatic contrast to his outburst moments before.

“Now…” he said. “Now, you know why.”

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100 Word Challenge

An Orange Spot

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This post is in response to the prompt at ‘100 Word Challenge for grown-ups’ here. (You’ll also find a list of links to the other responses.) The brief, as you will see, was to include the concept of an ‘orange spot’ in a composition of 100 words. I couldn’t think of anything original, and then something reminded me of what it must have been like for people who witnessed the destruction of Hiroshima or Nagasaki, but were far enough away not to be immediately killed or injured. What follows is fictitious, but there are true accounts that are similar.

We had started work early that day, as we always did during the war. The news had reached us, of course, that Germany had surrendered. We’d been told it made no difference to us. Anyway, I just chanced to look up from my paperwork and out of the window. Looking across the city, I suddenly saw a bright flash, and then, after a second or two, an orange spot that grew larger. As a massive plume of smoke formed above it, the noise reached us. It was an awful, terrifying roar like some wild, angry monster as the city died…

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100 Word Challenge

The Magic of Love

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This post is written in answer to the prompt at ‘100 word challenge’ here. You will see the list giving you links to interpretations of this theme by all the other contributors. As it happens, I don’t like Hallow-e’en either, and you all know what a sentimental old what-not I am, so I’m settling for a recipe for a good witch to use!

A dish called love

Take one heart of girl and one heart of guy. Warm gently together in a bowl of water of coincidence, until tender. Season with candlelight, lovelight, and the scent of jasmine. If the mixture still seems to be too dark, stir in a handful of moonbeams. Recite the age-old spell (just a few magic words) at this stage. Add a little of each of zest for life, essence of humour, and distilled empathy. As the two hearts unite, add a generous measure of observers’ smiles. The mixture will now sparkle with kisses. Serve with soft music.

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100 Word Challenge

The Season Ahead: A Mixture of Prospects

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This post has been prompted by the ‘100 Word Challenge’ here, where you will also find a list of links to other responses. The brief is simply to write 104 words, including the phrase shown in bold below.

Another year is hurtling towards its end; and winter will bring all kinds of things to all kinds of people. To the more affluent, it will provide the opportunity to dress up in the season’s latest fashions, to give lavish Christmas presents to their families and each other, and to defy the climate with merry-making; wardrobes and drinks cabinets alike will be replete. But for many others, the picture may be very different; Winter can be a time of worry and hardship. As the ‘season of goodwill’ draws close, let’s remember those who will repay us in the beautiful currency of love and smiles…

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100 Word Challenge

How Time Flies!

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This post is written in response to the ‘100 Word Challenge’ prompt here. All the other responses are listed there, too, as viewing links. Once again, the phrase that had to be included is in bold. 

Right now, I find myself thinking, “Surely it can’t be that time of year already? Whatever happened to summer?” Well, summer, such as it was, has been and gone. Frost has already made its presence felt. But there are compensations. The spectrum of colours in the trees ‘on the turn’ this year seems to be particularly spectacular – green still holding on to the last, contrasted with deep golds and russets.

Perhaps the real pleasure is to be found in enjoying each season for what it is. Ecuador is said to have the climate of a continual English Spring. Maybe I’d even get bored of that!

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100 Word Challenge

Machu Picchu, I’m Coming…

This (entirely fictional!) post, a narrative of the first stages of a tour to ‘The Lost City of the Incas’ is written in response to the ‘100 Word Challenge’ prompt here – I’m running close to the deadline as usual! Use the list of links to look at the inspirations of  others! The only brief was that the phrase I have shown in bold had to be included!

The flight from London to Lima was uneventful. At Lima, we were taken to a restaurant, where we were given a lovely meal before heading for the railway station. Now began our journey to the beautiful city of Cuzco, 3400 metres above sea level. As our altitude increased, I began to feel light-headed. At the hotel in Cuzco, they gave us cups of the local tea, a time-honoured headache relief. It was now late in the day, so after relaxing over a meal, we turned in for the night.

I woke with another headache, so I had more tea at breakfast, before the next train journey…

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100 Word Challenge

Rite of Passage, or Grinning From ‘Ere to There?

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This post is written in answer to the ‘100 word challenge’ prompt here, where you’ll also find links to other responses to this piece of harmless amusement. The brief is to write 106 words including the phrase shown in bold, in the genre of comedy…

After several unsuccessful attempts, suddenly, it was in my hand: the means to complete my odyssey unscathed. Now I knew that I would not be speared by Mr. Bowler Hat’s umbrella (unless he speared me on purpose – you never know these days, even though I’m not a spy) nor would I be hurled into a compromising position relative to Miss Pretty Young Office-girl (I don’t even know her.) I would reach my destination with neither multiple injuries nor acute embarrassment – clearly, no mean consideration.

Anyone else who has managed to lay claim to a grab handle round about Oxford Circus will appreciate what I’m talking about…

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100 Word Challenge

Not Me!

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This post is written in response to the prompt at the  ‘100 Word Challenge’ here, where you’ll also find links to the other responses. See that guy on the end of that sticking-out piece of rock?

All I can say about this picture is that I could never be the chap perched up there!

We all have our loves, indifferences, and phobias. Now, in the course of carrying out my work as an electrician, I’ve been under a good many floors in my time. Very often, some loose rubble has thoughtfully been left for me, sharp bits uppermost, which can make for an unpleasant trip. I think my record for tightness was three brick courses from ground to joists. But I had no claustrophobia.

Heights, though… Two storeys on a good ladder is more than enough!

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100 Word Challenge

Steady, There…

This post is in response to the ‘100 Word Challenge’ here, where you’ll find, as usual, an introduction to the brief, and a list of live links to all the other replies. Once again, we need 104 words, including the four-word phrase given, shown below in bold. However, the passage I have written is also a sequel to last week’s post here.

The hammering dislodged a small carved wooden apple from the front of the pantry door. As the apple fell to the floor, the door-bell rang…

Clarissa studied the two policemen in her hall, one of whom she recognised. That woman at ’emergency’ had done well. But, hold on… something wasn’t right. The sandy hair and blue eyes belonged to the village bobby she had befriended years ago… Pretty young wife, toddler son. It couldn’t be… Was she dreaming? The room seemed to spin…

Strong arms caught her as she almost fainted.

“Steady, there, Auntie Clarrie! They said I’d have to come, for Dad’s sake…”

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100 Word Challenge

Emergency, Which Service?

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This post is in response to the ‘100 Word Challenge’ here, where you’ll find a list of links to other responses. Essentially, the brief is to write 104 words, including the phrase shown in bold.

“Police, please… Yes, I have an intruder at this residence… Yes, still here. Between him and me is the pantry door. Locked, I might add… Yes, all the doors in this house are solid oak, with mortise locks… Through the kitchen window, it would seem… Twenty-four, Acacia Grove… Stay on the line? Just send that nice chap from the station, quick as you can. It’s past my bed-time!”

Ignoring the hammering on the pantry door, Clarissa calmly replaced the handset and, returning to the routine that made up the heart of her evenings, sat down to wait.

Knit one, purl one, knit two together…

MouseMoo
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