challenge

Savage Starfish

/ Liz H-H / 20 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

From Jenne Gray and C.E. Ayr’s photo prompt, The Unicorn Challenge (03/15/2024). No more than 250 words in length.

Trigger Warning: Do NOT read this before bed!  

Stella Starfish had heard all about it from Momma Bear. While Poppa and Baby built sand castles down the beach, Momma had leaned in, broad, clawed toes in the water and gripping the sand, related how Goldie had lured Poppa Bear into an affair with her golden curls, intense blue eyes, and silky hairless skin. Granted, Poppa wasn’t the brightest — some even said he was a couple sandwiches short of a picnic – but still!                                  Continue reading →

Tears and Rain

/ Liz H-H / 20 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

First step? Draw the chalk outline.

Berta sat back on her heels, trying to remember the next step from Baba’s grimoire. She was sure she’d gotten all the right ingredients: white chalk, pint jar of honey, ten pound sack of dirt from Janeesa’s grave. There were words she needed to say, herbs to sprinkle as she said them.    Continue reading →

Beyond the Volcano

/ Liz H-H / 23 Comments
Outside train station in summer, no train arrived yet

© Ayr/Gray

Tickets for the early train to Claris City spewed from the printer with a high-pitched whine, one after the other in twos for couples, four for young families, and the occasional single for the middle-aged women, purse draped cross-body, sporty sandals or high-tops broken in and ready for an active day away from the smoking volcano.    Continue reading →

Teamwork

/ Liz H-H / 15 Comments
Bar cellar, wooden barrels with candles, bright lights

© Ayr/Gray

From Jenne Gray and C.E. Ayr’s photo prompt, The Unicorn Challenge (12/15/23). No more than 250 words in length. Otherwise, let your creative flag fly!

Agribalka had to be stopped. Nepotism at its worst, twenty-one workers on the Silver Road had perished under her leadership. Loren, Mattie, and Grizzle chose the dartboard as arbiter for their final decision on how to end her. Over many flagons of Rusalkan Milk, they generated an unsurprisingly long list; Agribalka was universally hated. Continue reading →

New Style

/ Liz H-H / 14 Comments

Simple line, scissors cutting three down-waving lines

From Jenne Gray and C.E. Ayr’s photo prompt, The Unicorn Challenge (11/17/23). No more than 250 words in length. Otherwise, let your creative flag fly!

Odd had told her the barber shop was three blocks over from the warehouse they were squatting in. It wasn’t that they didn’t have money. They just didn’t want to use it for nonessentials. When he’d seen the ragged job she’d done cutting her hair, he’d decided: a proper clean up was essential. Odd always had the final say, so here she was, ambling down the street in the early hours.  Continue reading →