Tales from the mind of Kristian
Visit the darkest crevices of my mind, dare to tread where many fear to go. You may find something interesting or you may find a mirror to your soul.
Shining Health – A Haiku
The Sun’s healing shine
Clears hearts and minds; for Gratis
Free healthcare for all.
https://wordofthedaychallenge.wordpress.com/2019/06/15/shine/
This short story was written for this weeks 50 word Thursday Challenge, this week hosted by Teresa, The Haunted Wordsmith, please check out her post here:
https://thehauntedwordsmith.wordpress.com/2019/06/12/50-word-thursday-24/
If you want to take part in this challenge, check out her post to see the rules.
The Picture:
Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay
The Words:
The Kraken stirs. And ten billion sushi dinners cry out for vengeance.
GOOD OMENS, TERRY PRATCHETT & NEIL GAIMAN
Vengeance Delivered – A Fishy Tale.
The Fish swam through the water unaware that danger reared its ugly head. The danger was never far away in the briny deep, but these fish were young and foolish.
They saw a bright light emerging from the sandy bottom but they ignored it. They knew it was a phoney, a lure from the lantern fish that had buried itself beneath the sand.
A Congar Eel gave a sashay through the water, like a dancing girl without her tambourine. The fish swam past without a care.
The young fish had been warned not to go into the deep chasm nor to swim in the barnacle-covered shipwreck. This presented a quandary. Which of these forbidden things should they do? They both looked like exciting prospects. After a brief delay where they played scissor, paper, stone to decide, they headed into the dark chasm.
There in the darkest of corners in the deepest chasm dwelt a sea monster of notorious fame. The Kraken had slumbered for many years but now it stirred and a generation of young foolish fish became its lunch.
The Kraken stirs, and ten billion sushi dinners cry out for vengeance.
That vengeance came in the form of indigestion.
[200 Words]
I have also included the following word prompts:
https://wordofthedaychallenge.wordpress.com/2019/06/14/phony/
https://ragtagcommunity.wordpress.com/2019/06/14/rdp-friday-delay/
https://onedailyprompt.wordpress.com/2019/06/14/your-daily-word-prompt-quandary-june-14-2019/
Well, another week has just flown by! The 50 Word Thursday challenge has come to an end. Click on the link to see the post:
The rules were to write a story or poem based on the picture and containing certain words. It had to be in multiples of 50 words up to a maximum of 250 words.
Here is the picture:
And the Words: “she added, hopefully, “how many things with angels on them are there here?” – Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
So, now it’s time to reflect on the results. I have to say that again we have a truly eclectic mix of stories. Here are all the entries:
http://lifeafter50forwomen.com/2019/06/06/50-words-thursday-23/
https://thehauntedwordsmith.wordpress.com/2019/06/07/manners/
50 Word Thursday — Gifts of the Gods
https://debbiewhittam.wordpress.com/2019/06/10/50-word-thursday-23/
https://talesfromthemindofkristian.wordpress.com/2019/06/11/50-word-thursday-soul-harvest/
I apologise if I have missed anyone off, I did have an issue with not getting some pingbacks come through. If I missed it, post a link to your entry in the comments below.
I thoroughly recommend reading the short stories above, and maybe I can tempt you to have a go at this challenge in future?
Look out for the next 50 Word Thursday Challenge, this week hosted by Teresa, The Haunted Wordsmith.
https://wordofthedaychallenge.wordpress.com/2019/06/12/tempt/
https://onedailyprompt.wordpress.com/2019/06/12/your-daily-word-prompt-eclectic-june-12-2019/
This story was written for the 50 Word Thursday challenge that I posted last week, see the link below:
The challenge is to write a story limited to 50 word increments up to a maximum of 250 words, inspired by a picture and including some words.
Here is the picture
And the Words: “she added, hopefully, “how many things with angels on them are there here?” – Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
Soul Harvest
Hecate smiled at her black cloaked companion and said “This place looks promising” she added, hopefully, “how many things with angels on them are there here?”
A dark voice replied “Quite a few. The fools believed that they kept the souls of their dear departed safe. Much as I dislike humanity, you’ve got to laugh at its quirks.” The sound that came from deep within the shadowed hood was not like any laughter you’d expect. For all that it echoed around the cemetery, it was devoid of any warmth.
Hecate pulled her own velvet cloak around her. The other figure saw her gesture and responded “I trust that you are not having second thoughts, it’s too late to back out now. You know what’s at stake if you do”.
“No, I want to live again, you promised you could bring me back to life.”
“Indeed, I did and I will. I just need to find a suitable soul to harvest. I do so enjoy harvesting lost souls.”
He drifted further down the row of ornately decorated gravestones.
“Ah, this one will do, nicely,” he said.
Hecate felt a sudden burning inside her as the Soul Harvester carried out his work.
[200 Words]
It’s not too late if you want to take part in this challenge. I will be gathering together all the responses and posting them tomorrow (Wednesday) and a new 50 word thursday challenge will begin again on Thursday, this week hosted by Teresa, the Haunted Wordsmith.
https://wordofthedaychallenge.wordpress.com/2019/06/11/dislike/
https://onedailyprompt.wordpress.com/2019/06/11/your-daily-word-prompt-trust-june-11-2019/
https://ragtagcommunity.wordpress.com/2019/06/11/rdp-tuesday-sub-lost/
Photo by nahidhatamiz at Pixabay.com
“How’s the new Scarecrow working out, Jack?”
“Terrible. Trust me to build something that scares all the children to death, but the crows don’t seem to dislike at all!”
“Never mind. I’ll give you a hand burying the bodies if you like.”
“Thanks, Keith, I’d be lost without you.”
[273 Characters]
This story was written for Kat Myrman’s Twittering Tales challenge, click on the link to her post if you want to take part.
Twittering Tales #140 – 11 June 2019
https://onedailyprompt.wordpress.com/2019/06/11/your-daily-word-prompt-trust-june-11-2019/
https://ragtagcommunity.wordpress.com/2019/06/11/rdp-tuesday-sub-lost/
https://wordofthedaychallenge.wordpress.com/2019/06/11/dislike/
I am really pleased to have been nominated for another Blogging recognition award, this time by Dr Tanya of Salted Caramel, see her post below:
https://saltedcaramel670.wordpress.com/2019/06/10/blogger-recognition-award/
and don’t forget to check out her blog and say Hi from me. 🙂
I started blogging in March 2018, having had no experience of blogging whatsoever.
Since childhood, I have been writing stories and creating imaginary worlds with great enthusiasm that I have never lost. In January 2018 I attended a six-week creative writing course in the City Lit Academy in London, and this really opened up the floodgates of my creative mind. Instead of writing something now and then, I began writing something every single day. I found the experience both daunting and inspiring. Having my writing read and commented on by my fellow writers was an experience that I found really helpful to me. It made me want to share my material with an even wider audience. I also wanted somewhere to keep my written material. I decided to write a blog.
I called it Tales from the Mind of Kristian because that is what it really is. It is the creative brain burps of my mind. I am happy to share them with you. What’s to dislike? 😉
I hope you like them, anyway.
https://paeansunpluggedblog.wordpress.com/2019/06/11/carefree-days/
The Lines They See – a poem by Paul Vincent Cannon
Torta Cubana – A Mexican Sandwich
https://onedailyprompt.wordpress.com/2019/06/11/your-daily-word-prompt-trust-june-11-2019/
https://wordofthedaychallenge.wordpress.com/2019/06/11/dislike/
https://ragtagcommunity.wordpress.com/2019/06/11/rdp-tuesday-sub-lost/
I wrote this story last year, but it fits today’s Word of the Day prompt so I thought I would share it again with you.
Down at the bottom of the garden, where the Ivy and brambles are all overgrown and the little patch of nettles is getting a bit out of hand, there lived a fairy called Aera. A pretty little thing she was, no bigger than a monarch butterfly, with tiny hands and delicate feet, encased in little boots made from bluebell flowers. Her dress is made from two daffodil flowers sewn together with thread. She has transparent wings that glimmer with a silvery blue gleam when the sun shines on them just so.
She was friends with most things in the garden. She would fly with the bees and have a little chat to them. They didn’t stop for long though. Bees are very hard-working and don’t stop work for idle chatter, at least not for long. They did stop to give Aera the time of day because she was so lovely and often told them where the best flowers were. They, in turn, would give her a cup of their honey to say thank you. Aera also flitted with the butterflies. She’d known them since they were little caterpillars and she loved to see them grow into beautiful butterflies.
Aera chatted to the small birds, the Robin and the Wren. Mrs Wren was a particularly close friend. Mrs Wren has so many little babies to feed that sometimes Aera would help her find little seeds and worms.
There was a Magpie that came into the garden and Aera was not so fond of him. He was noisy and mischievous and often played too rough.
“Come out to play Aera. Let’s play who can shout the loudest? I bet I Can? CAW CAW CAW.” The Magpie would say.
“No thank you, Mr Magpie, I would rather just listen to the wind in the trees rather than your noise. Please go away.” Aera was always as polite as she could be but Mr Magpie made her cross.
If he wouldn’t go away, Aera would use some of her Magic and then the Magpie would fly far away and leave her alone.
The people who owned the house didn’t go into their garden very much and so she knew she could fly around and not be seen.
One day the family moved out and sold the house to a young couple. Aera heard them talking.
“Oh Darling, look at that mess the garden is in, all the weeds and the overgrown Ivy and nettles. You must do something about it.”
“OK Love. I will chop down the shrubs, pull up the weeds and concrete over the lawn. We can have a barbecue and invite our friends around.”
Aera was very upset. If they chopped down the shrubs and pulled up the weeds it would destroy her house. She wouldn’t be able to fly around, they would see her.
“Aera, what are we going to do?” Said Mrs Wren. “I have my nest in the shrub they are going to chop down, and I am just about to raise another family too.”
“Aera, if they pull up all the flowers, we won’t be able to make our honey.” Said the bees.
“What are we going to do?”
Aera decided that she was going to see the great Owl who lived in the Oak tree in the park.
He was so wise, he will know what to do.
“Mr Owl, Mr Owl, can I speak with you?”
It was still daylight and Owls sleep during the day and catch their food at night.
“Yes, Yes, Who is it? I’m awake now. I hope it’s important, I need my beauty sleep don’t you know?” Said the Wise Owl, rather grumpily.
“Oh it’s you Aera; I haven’t seen you in the longest time. How are you, my dear?”
“Oh Mr Owl, I need your help. New owners have bought the house and are going to chop down the shrubs and pull up the weeds and concrete over the lawn. The bees will not have enough flowers to make their honey and Mrs Wren and I with both lose our homes. What can we do?”
“I hear this sort of thing is happening more and more. Don’t they know the damage they are doing to nature? Hmmm, let me think.”
After a short time, Mr Owl spoke again.
“I think you should find out more about the new people who have moved in. They might not know much about nature and how important a garden is for the wildlife. Find out if they are the type of people who recycle their rubbish. If they are then they might change their minds if you can convince them how important it is to have a garden, for the bees and birds and the environment.”
Aera flew back to her garden and decided to listen at the window of the house. Normally it wasn’t polite to listen at doors and windows, Aera’s Mother had taught her very good manners. This time though, there was too much at stake.
Aera heard the lady speaking to the man.
“Have you finished with the newspaper; I want to stick it in the recycling. We’ve got to do our bit for the environment”
“OK Dear. I was thinking, I read the other day that people use too much water, watering their gardens in the hot weather. Maybe we should get a water-butt. That way we can store the rainwater and that would be better for the environment too.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t bother with that dear. When you concrete it over, we won’t need to water it anymore.”
Aera had heard enough. They obviously cared a bit about the environment because they were recycling their newspaper but they still didn’t have a clue about how important gardens were for wildlife.
Then she had a good idea. She had a little magic she’d stored away for a rainy day. She decided she would use her magic to help everyone.
When she got back to her little home, hidden away amongst the Ivy and the brambles, behind the nettle patch, she took out her magic pouch.
It was full of magic fairy dust that she had been saving for something special.
That night, when most people were asleep in their warm beds, Aera flew out of her house and started sprinkling her magic dust over the garden. She sprinkled some over the house too. As it was a warm night, the bedroom window was open, so she flew in and sprinkled her sparkly dust all over the two people sleeping and snoring in their bed.
Aera said her magic words; they are in fairy language so you wouldn’t understand them. Then she went to her bed, knowing she had done all she could.
The next day the postman was delivering the letters on his round, just like he normally did. He was surprised to see a large golden envelope addressed to the house at the end of the street. The one with the overgrown garden. He posted it through the letterbox and continued on his way.
“Dear, look at this letter we have received. It’s from the Natural Garden Club; we’ve apparently won a garden makeover in their competition. Did you enter us for this competition?”
“No, I don’t remember. Maybe it was your Mother, you know she enters lots of competitions now she’s retired.”
“Well someone is going to come round next week and talk to us about it.”
“That’s nice dear.”
The following week, a garden designer in a purple suit came round to talk to them about their garden.
“Well we had plans to chop down the shrubs and pull up all the weeds and concrete over the lawn and turn it into an entertainment area,” Said the lady.
“Goodness Me!” Exclaimed the garden designer. “Don’t you realise how important these little gardens are to our wildlife?” He said.
“We need to do all we can for the environment. When people concrete over their gardens, it makes flooding much more likely. The bees need all the flowers they can get to make their honey. If the bees die then our crops will fail. The wildlife really needs a small patch of weeds at the bottom of the garden so it can thrive. I’ll tell you what I’ll do. I will tidy up the garden and trim back the shrubs. I will reduce the weed patch, so it’s just a small bit at the very bottom and I’ll build a patio by the house so you can have your barbecue. How does that sound?”
“OK, we didn’t realise how important having a garden and a weed patch was for the environment we are happy to do our bit, aren’t we dear?” Said the owner to his wife.
Now the garden is neat and tidy but it still has the flowers, the lawn and the shrubs. At the very bottom of the garden is a very small patch of nettles and some Ivy and brambles, and just inside, just out of sight, you can still catch a glimmer of a very tiny house. A small fairy called Aera lives there and she’s very happy.
The End.
Copyright: Kristian Fogarty 13/April/2018
https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/glimmer/
https://wordofthedaychallenge.wordpress.com/2019/06/10/fairy/
I’m living my life on the edge,
I’ve promised and given my pledge,
It may come as a surprise,
But believe me, it’s wise,
Don’t accept the thin end of the wedge
I’ve decided to follow my dreams
No matter how far the extremes
I’ll dance and I’ll revel,
Rules can go to the devil,
There much more to life than it seems.
Copyright: Kristian Fogarty 09/June/2019
I have included the following word prompts:
https://onedailyprompt.wordpress.com/2019/06/09/your-daily-word-prompt-dream-june-9-2019/
https://ragtagcommunity.wordpress.com/2019/06/09/rdp-sunday-surprise/
https://wordofthedaychallenge.wordpress.com/2019/06/09/revel/
This is a poem/Song lyric, I wrote some time ago but it fitted this word prompt so well…
https://wordofthedaychallenge.wordpress.com/2019/06/09/revel/
I keep hearing people say
I’ve gotta kill my wild ways
but I’m a wild kind of guy
with no chance to change
better keep outta my way
if you think me strange
I am what I am
and that’s the way I’ll stay.
Everywhere I go, I hear
Talk of the Devil
Wherever I appear
It’s Talk of the Devil
But I’m no satan’s spawn
I just won’t be a pawn
In this society.
People say I’m just so weird
My evil image means I’m feared
but see beneath the look
and I’m just as scared
Whatever I did or said
It’s hard when no one cared
I just couldn’t conform
and the crowds just jeered.
Everywhere I go, I hear
Talk of the Devil
Wherever I appear
It’s Talk of the Devil
But I’m no satan’s spawn
I just won’t be a pawn
In this society.
Let all the crowds jeer,
I don’t care anymore
Let them say what they say
I don’t care anymore
In all their gossip, I just revel.
I don’t care, let them say
Talk of the devil
But I’m no satan’s spawn
I just won’t be a pawn
In this society.
Copyright: Kristian Fogarty, written 26th March 2005.
I have been tagged by Christine Bolton, an excellent poet, of the blog Poetry for healing, see her post here:
This was a collaborative poem started by Rory, A Guy Called Bloke, see his post here:
Not Just My Verse, Your Two Two Too
Rory’s Start:
I am sure, well pretty sure NO, of course l am sure!
Twas not twas, twas not there before!
And yet, here l am looking upon it with widened eyes …
This thing that twasn’t, and yet now it twas a surprise!
Paula of Light Motifs II‘s Addition Twas
When I told my friends what had transpired,
They laughed and said I must be a liar,
For things like THAT surely are not real;
Then it came back and said let’s make a deal.
Fandango of This, That and The Other’s Addition Twas
So it wants to make a deal?
Well that does have some appeal.
I asked it, “Whatsit all about?”
And that twas when it started to shout,
Christine of Poetry for Healing
Yes, whatsit all about Alfie?
Do you have bats in your belfry?
Was it this or was it that?
I know ‘twasn’t tit for tat,
Who has passed the baton onto Kristian – Tales of the mind of Kristian
Here is my addition.
Are you following all this closely?
What’s that you say? Mostly?
Well then, you’re far cleverer than I,
When you inherit lunacy, embrace the sky.
So who shall I pass this onto?
How about my friend, Beckie, of Beckie’s Mental Mess? Fancy a go?
😿June 8, 2019: Quote of The Day & A Personal Heart Felt Mention…
I have also included the following word prompts:
https://wordofthedaychallenge.wordpress.com/2019/06/08/following/
