Sep 14, 2016 Friday Fictioneers, Original Flash Fiction
PHOTO PROMPT © Shaktiki Sharma
Word Count: 100 words of text, exactly
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Grindstones and Gold
©September 14th, 2016
By Vijaya Sundaram
The dowry covered the basics: A grindstone for godumai mavu, another for makkacholam, and a stone idli mavu-grinder, plus the usual assortment of stainless steel kitchen necessities. Kavita also brought a gold necklace, pearl-and-coral earrings gold bangles, and silver anklets.
The groom’s family pronounced themselves satisfied.
What did it matter that the groom was dull-witted?
What did it matter that Kavita was pregnant with her low-caste lover’s child?
Did it matter that on her wedding night, she wept?
And did it matter that the next morning she was dead?
At least, they had the grindstones and the gold.
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Thanks to our dear Fairy Blog-Mother, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, for hosting Friday Fictioneers, a wild and creative assortment of story-tellers from around the world! Thanks to Shaktiki Sharma for the photograph!
Tags: #dowrydeathstory, #FridayFictioneers, #Original 100-word Flash Fiction based on a photo-prompt, #RealisticFiction
Aug 12, 2016 Friday Fictioneers, Original Flash Fiction
PHOTO PROMPT – © Adam Ickes
Word Count: 100 words of text, exactly
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Long Walk
©August 12th, 2016
By Vijaya Sundaram
I remember the clouds that day. The sky shone like my mother’s eyes, when she told us to be good, to always listen to Dad. She told us to stay inside the house. She told us to give Dad her letter. She reminded us to say our prayers. She said she loved us. Her eyes were wet.
Then, she walked away with her suitcase, her pretty dress fluttering in the breeze. At the other end of the boardwalk, a car waited. She got into it, and it drove off.
I will never leave you, I think, holding my girls close.
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It’s been horribly hot, but FF beckons, and I cannot resist the call. Thank you, Rochelle, for always urging us on with your gracious example, and your moving stories! This is a very evocative photo-prompt. Thank you, Adam Ickes, for the picture.
Tags: #Abandonment, #FridayFictioneers, #RealisticFiction, Original short story based on photo-prompt
May 13, 2016 Friday Fictioneers, Original Flash Fiction
PHOTO PROMPT © CEAYR
Word Count: 100 words of text, exactly
Genre: Somewhat-Grim Realistic Fiction
Escape
©May 13th, 2016
By Vijaya Sundaram
When they came, I was asleep in my sleeping bag in the wooded park far from home, where my step-father had contributed to a life of mute terror.
The woods bordered a lake, across which blue-gold city-lights glowed. Along the trail, I’d salvaged chicken sandwiches thrown away by careless picnickers. That night, I slept contentedly.
I awoke suddenly to a bright blue light, and quiet noises. Creeping over to where I’d heard the sound, I saw policemen with dogs and flashlights. Without waiting, I ran for the lake, and plunged in.
What did it matter that I could not swim?
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I must be addicted to flash fiction! Not content with writing an inter-galactic romance in 100 words yesterday, I decided to go the route of grim fiction today in another 100 words.
With thanks to Fairy Blog-Mother and brilliant story-teller, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, and to the master of micro-fiction CEAYR, for the mesmerizing photograph.
Tags: #FridayFictioneers, #Original 100-word Flash Fiction based on a photo-prompt, #RealisticFiction
Apr 28, 2016 Friday Fictioneers, Original Short Story
PHOTO PROMPT © Mary Shipman
Word Count: 100 words of text, exactly
Genre: Realistic fiction
Parallel-Life
©April 28th, 2016
By Vijaya Sundaram
I’d travelled many miles. Bandits had taken all I had. My only child had died when they attacked. I had to bury him in the forest, my heart a stone.
Grief and hunger assailed me. I hadn’t eaten for five days. I’d walked for miles. The berries I’d found had made me sick.
I reached a shop. Incongruous things hung there.
“Please,” I croaked, collapsing at the door, “Some food …”
A boy came out of the shadows. “Come in. My father went out five days ago, and never returned. My mother’s in shock.”
He seemed strangely familiar. I crawled in.
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Thanks to Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, Fairy Blog-Mother Extraordinaire for hosting Friday Fictioneers, where we get to meet and mingle with some of the finest story-tellers in the blogging world. Thanks, as well, to Mary Shipman for that photo-prompt!
Tags: #Coincidence?, #Original 100-word Flash Fiction based on a photo-prompt, #RealisticFiction
Apr 2, 2016 Friday Fictioneers
Word Count: 100 words of text, exactly
Genre: Grimly-Realistic fiction
Chance
©April 2nd, 2016
By Vijaya Sundaram
Aparna stood, transfixed. Beside her stood Ajay, her husband. Together, they gazed out on the city.
The city was everything she had imagined. The morning sky was clear and blue. The streets teemed with life. Somewhere within, however, she felt a tremor, a tectonic shift.
Shivering, Aparna said, “I’d like to go down, now.”
“Why?” said Ajay, who didn’t like changing plans midway.
“Please,” she said, her hand tightening on his.
He knew her too well to argue. They made their way to the elevator.
Just as they reached the street, the building collapsed.
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Not entirely satisfied with my last story, I tried again. Thanks to our Fairy Blog-Mother, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for hosting Friday Fictioneers with patience and grace every week, and to Marie Gail Stratford for the photo-prompt this week.
Tags: #Original 100-word Flash Fiction based on a photo-prompt, #RealisticFiction