Mar 3, 2016 Friday Fictioneers

Genre: Science Fiction/Horror
Word Count:  100 words of text, exactly

Electric Sleep*
©March 3rd, 2016
By Vijaya Sundaram

So many batteries, so little time!

I taste success, despite setbacks, and despite my school-mates laughing at me.  He can’t move himself without huffing and puffing!  Check out those batteries he’s collecting.  What’s he going to make with those?  A robot?

They don’t know what I’m capable of.

Time to get to work.

News Flash:  Parks Middle School was thrown into terror, when Andy Sheppard, an obese student entered school, trailing wires attached to him.  He was dead, but hovered.  School is closed for the week.  Interestingly, the morgue reports fluctuating power.  The strapped-down body still twitches, as if dreaming.

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*I’ve always loved science-fiction, and Philip K. Dick’s story, “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” is one of my all-time favorite titles (along with Harlan Ellison’s “I have No Mouth, and I Must Scream”).  My story has nothing to do with that story, except that I couldn’t resist calling my protagonist Andy (for Android, in case you were wondering  🙂 ), and give him a last name relating to sheep.

Thanks, as always, to Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, for being, as I’ve dubbed her, the Fairy Blog-Mother of Friday Fictioneers, graciously presiding over our creative output, and being generous with her comments to all.  Thanks, also, to Sean Fallon, for that seemingly innocent photo-prompt!

Tags: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, Original 100-word short story based on a photo-prompt, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, Science Fiction Flash Fiction

Dec 23, 2015 Friday Fictioneers

PHOTO PROMPT – © Scott L. Vannatter

Word Count:  100 words of text, exactly
Genre: Death-myth fiction

The Mower
©December 23rd, 2015
By Vijaya Sundaram

The farm-cat knew it.  Both dogs knew it.  Even the little mice scurrying behind the walls knew it.  The sheep in their pens knew it, and baa-aa-ed nervously.  The cow and her calf in the shed moo-ed forlornly.

Only Simon sleeping in his little farmhouse bedroom didn’t know it.

Suddenly, he awoke.  A Form had glided into his room, carrying a scythe.

“It’s time, human,” said a voice, dry as deserts.

Simon protested.  “I haven’t mowed the fields.  I’m NOT ready.  Go!  Return at season’s end.”

Simon’s cat stared.  Hesitating, then nodding, the Form faded.

Simon lived till season’s end.

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Thanks to Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for being our gracious host at Friday Fictioneers, and to Scott Vannatter for the photograph-prompt!

Tags: #Death, Cat, Farmer, Mowing fields, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, Scythe, Season's end

Jul 9, 2015 Friday Fictioneers

PHOTO PROMPT © Stephen Baum

Word Count:  Exactly 100 words of story-text Genre:  Post-apocalyptic fiction

Always Darkest

©July 9th, 2015

By Vijaya Sundaram

We had prepared and stocked our bunker. When the End happened, we descended the two-hundred steps to it, shut the lead-lined, heavy doors, and sat and waited …

Alex was ill.  One day, while I was asleep, he crawled upstairs opened the door, and shut it with a clang.  When I awoke, I was alone.  When my hysterical sobbing subsided, I stayed — in the dark.  I could see, eat, sleep, live and mourn in the dark. Time passed.

One day, miraculously, the door opened.  Light flooded in.

I whimpered, clawed at my eyes, ripped them out.

It’s always darkest before dawn.

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Thanks to Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (who has run Friday Fictioneers faithfully for quite a while now) for hosting, and to Stephen Baum for the photograph prompt.

Tags: 100-word original short story based on a photo prompt, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

Jun 5, 2015 Teaching and Learning

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Tags: #Friday Fictioneers, #Original Short Story by Vijaya Sundaram, 100-word original short story based on a photo prompt, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

Jan 16, 2015 Original Short Stories

Stat

PHOTO PROMPT – Copyright – Jan Wayne Fields

Giving Thanks

©January 16th, 2015

By Vijaya Sundaram

Genre:  Realistic, depressing fiction

Word Count: 100 words

It’s Thanksgiving.

I’ve set the table.  There’s no one here — just me.  My father vanished six months ago.  My mother was diagnosed with Stage IV stomach cancer after that.  She died last month.  My sister, eighteen years old, eloped with her young, handsome college professor after that.  He was fired.  They moved to Montana.

Standing by the window, I’m blank as new-fallen snow.  There isn’t any snow, though.

I bring the food out — mashed potatoes, canned soup, bread, butter.

I sit down, raise an empty glass to an empty room.

“To my family,” I whisper, and begin laughing uncontrollably.

Tags: #Friday Fictioneers, 100-word original short story based on a photo prompt, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, Thanksgiving, Vijaya Sundaram's Flash Fiction

Jan 8, 2015 Original Short Stories

PHOTO PROMPT – © Copyright Jean L. Hays

Genre: Realistic Fiction (current events-inspired)

Word Count:  100 words

Unthink

©January 8th, 2014

By Vijaya Sundaram

I found myself staring at the banner near the historic sign, and mouthed the letters to myself.

Unthink?

How had I gotten here?

Here, America’s Main Street, where songs arose from the dirt, and dreams were broken in the dust of racism?

Too much thinking, that’s what it was — too much reading and too many heartbreaking stories in the news.

I feared for my son — for his beautiful dark skin, his large-black-grape eyes, his woolly puff of hair, his idealistic spirit, his bursts of sadness.

I feared for him, for the safety of all our children.

How to unthink this?

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Sorry, folks!  I’d been sick, then busy with schoolwork, and there was too much heartbreak in the news in the past five weeks.  I’ve missed being here, and seeing everyone’s work.  I will try and be more consistent, because I MISS this!

Thanks for Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for hosting this beautiful site, and for her use of unusual and challenging photo-prompts (for which I thank Jean L. Hays!)

Tags: #Friday Fictioneers, 100-word original short story based on a photo prompt, Flash Fiction, Micro-Fiction, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, Route 66 photo prompt

Dec 4, 2014 Original Short Stories

Frost-Flowers, OR: Aging

©December 4th, 2014

By Vijaya Sundaram

Genre: _____________?

Word Count:  100 words

I remember when frost-flowers froze.  Old Jack Frost put on his chill cloak of ice and snow, puffed his cheeks and blew out all life.  Then, he fell down in a swound, and lay, eyes open to the sky, which reflected death right back into his eyes.

I remember once, when the earth had been green and pulsing with life.  My friend and I would chase butterflies in the meadows, and thrill to the sound of birds, while we plucked wildflowers.

Now, memories are frosting over, covered with a thin film of despair.

I lay me down to rest now.

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Thanks to Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for her prompt-selection, and to Janet Webb for the lovely photo-prompt!

Tags: #Aging, #Friday Fictioneers, 100-word original short story based on a photo prompt, An Original Short Story by Vijaya Sundaram, Nostalia, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

Dec 3, 2014 Awake in Dream Time - Journal Entries about the almost real, Original Short Stories

Water, Wifi, Rest, Knowledge

©December 3rd, 2014

By Vijaya Sundaram

Genre:  Realistic Fiction/Current Affairs

Word Count: 100 words

“I’m scared.”

Don’t be. We’ll take care of you.  And we have books.

“My father’s out there.  The cops hate us.”

I’m sorry it has to be like this in our town.  I’m sorry you have to worry.  We’re here.  And books are your friends.  We’ve got water, wifi, rest, knowledge.  Don’t worry.  We’ll take care of you.

“I’m afraid to go outside.  I think, I’ll be next.  I keep practising what I’ll do — hands up, pray, anything.  Will it work?”

We can only hope, children.  Dry your eyes.  The books will teach you.  Come. 

And quiet calmness took hold.

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(I’m VERY late in my response to last Wednesday’s Friday’s Fictioneers prompt.  I was too shaken up by the events in Ferguson, MO.  This Library picture made me want to weep, because I remembered that the library in their town was open for any children or families who wanted to be in a safe place among books.  Today, I was able to write about last week’s prompt.  If you’re reading it, do forgive my lateness.)

P.S.  I just contributed to their library, which apparently had a spike in donations after they stayed open on the day after the Grand Jury’s decision not to indict the Darren Wilson.

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Tags: #Friday Fictioneers, #Water, 100-word original short story based on a photo prompt, Darren Wilson, Ferguson, Knowledge, Michael Brown, Missouri, Rest, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, Wifi

Nov 20, 2014 Original Short Stories

PHOTO PROMPT – Copyright – Claire Fuller

Genre: Post-Apocalyptic Fiction

Word Count:  100 words

Trinity

There is no way to beat about the bush.

All life ceased to be.  So, how am I writing this?  I’m not.  I’m speaking directly into your mind.

You wandered into this spot three million years after it happened.  We were waiting.

The radiation levels were safe for you, and you happened to have been born, the Great Mushroom-Cloud only know how, and to whom.  We were waiting.

Our tires sustained no damage.  Even our store was standing.  See those two ghost-like figures on the door?  That’s us. We joined Michelin-in-the-Sky.  We are Roper and Son.

And we’re not friendly.

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 Thanks, as always to Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, for hosting Friday Fictioneers, and to Claire Fuller for that depressing (but compelling) photograph!

Tags: #Friday Fictioneers, #Post-apocalyptic fiction, 100-word original short story based on a photo prompt, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, Snark

Nov 12, 2014 Original Short Stories

Genre:  Tinsel Reality

Word Count:  100 words exactly

Somewhere Over The Rainbow

© November 12th, 2014

By Vijaya Sundaram

Welcome to Dreamland!

Herein lie shiny wares for those who wish to be taken unawares.  Yet, for all you know, you might be the one to go into the Land of Oblivion, standing beneath a palm tree, contemplating that which was never to be.  You might be bedazzlingly blonde, brilliantly blue-eyed — that cannot be denied, but who are you?  Therein lies the rub.

Latch onto a producer.  You might yet become a star.  Or, if he is a heartless seducer, you’ll end up waitressing at a bar.  Perhaps, you’ll go far.

If it’s Skid Row, I don’t want to know.

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Thanks to our Fairy Blog-Mother, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, both for hosting, and for the photo-prompt!

Friday Fictioneers is an online writing community that writes Flash Fiction of 100 words or fewer every week, and we wait eagerly for the photo-prompt to show up on Wednesdays, so that we can get in our stories by Friday.  I love reading what all of you write — the creativity and imagination I’ve seen so far is dazzling.  Thanks for reading my story!

Tags: #Friday Fictioneers, 100-word original short story based on a photo prompt, Hollywood, New Indian Myth by Vijaya Sundaram, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields