#thecarrotranch — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #thecarrotranch, aggregated by home.social.
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Flash Fiction - Future Affairs https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2024/03/03/flash-fiction-future-affairs/ #AI, #ArtificialIntelligence, #CarrotRanch, #Fiction, #FlashFiction, #Life, #ShortStories, #ShortStory, #TheCarrotRanch, #WritingChallenge
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Flash Fiction Friday – What Lays Beneath
June 20, 2023, prompt: Write a story about grains of sand in 99 words (no more, no less). Where are these grains, and what importance do they hold? How many ways can you think of using sand? Who interacts with the sand and why? Go where the prompt leads! See June 20: Story Challenge in 99-words for more details.
What Lays Beneath – by Hugh W. Roberts
On the secluded beach, grains of sand held a horrifying secret.
As twilight embraced the shoreline, their malevolence awakened. Slightly serrated edges transformed into razor-sharp teeth, hungry for flesh.
Unseen to the unsuspecting visitors, they slithered beneath the surface.
With a sinister intelligence, they devised a plan. Swiftly, they surged, entangling ankles in a web of gritty terror. Screams of agony filled the air as victims got dragged below, devoured by the insatiable maw of the sand.
Panic swept the beach, but the grains, now stained red, revelled in their newfound power, forever cursed to prey upon the unwary.
Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.
Last week’s entries with the theme ‘Fathers’ can be found by clicking this link.
Flash Fiction Friday***
Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love ‘More Glimpses.’
***
32 short stories and flash fiction pieces take readers to the edge of their imagination.
More Glimpses
Paperback – £4.99
Kindle – £0.99
Follow Hugh on his social media platforms by clicking the buttons below.
Copyright @ 2024 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.
#beach #carrotRanch #fiction #flashFiction #holidays #horror #horrorStories #shortStories #shortStory #theCarrotRanch #writingChallenge
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Flash Fiction Friday – The Fatherhood War
June 13, 2023, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about fathers in general or a specific father. You can use different names — Papa, Daddy, Fabio. What is significant about a father? Write a homage, rant, comedy, tragedy, or anything in between. Go where the prompt leads! See ‘June 13: Story Challenge in 99-words‘ for more details.
The Fatherhood War – by Hugh W. Roberts
In a whirlwind of chaos, a father attempted to conquer the art of nappy changing.
Armed with wipes and a nappy that seemed to defy logic, he engaged in an epic battle against a giggling, wiggling baby. Hilariously mismatched socks were his battle armour, and a superhero cape decked his shoulders.
As he bravely dodged tiny feet, the father’s face turned into comical distortions. With a triumphant cry, he emerged victorious, the nappy expertly secured.
But, alas, victory was short-lived, for a naughty giggle signalled an incoming surprise attack. In the war of fatherhood, laughter was the ultimate weapon.
Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.
Flash Fiction Friday***
Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love ‘Glimpses.’
GlimpsesGlimpses
28 short stories and pieces of flash fiction take the reader on a rollercoaster of twists and turns.
Paperback – £4.99
Kindle – £0.99
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Follow Hugh on his social media platforms by clicking the buttons below.
Copyright @ 2024 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.
#carrotRanch #family #fathers #fiction #flashFiction #shortStories #shortStory #theCarrotRanch #writingChallenge
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Flash Fiction Friday – Guardian Of The Future
June 6, 2023, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about a lost book (or many). What is the book’s significance? Who lost it, or who found it? How does this element fit into a poem, memory, or a specific genre? Go where the prompt leads! See June 6: Story Challenge in 99-words for more details.
Guardian Of The Future – by Hugh W. Roberts
In 2016, I stumbled upon a relic from a bygone era—a lost book.
Its title shimmered in an alien script, defying decipherment. As my fingertips grazed the ancient pages, knowledge surged.
Words whispered forgotten truths of extinct civilizations, celestial wonders, and untapped technologies into my mind. But the book’s power proved dangerous.
A secret organization hunted it, seeking to control its enigmatic secrets.
With stealth and determination, I became a guardian of the lost book, protecting its wisdom from falling into the wrong hands.
The key to humanity’s next evolutionary leap lies within its pages – AI -Artificial intelligence.
Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.
Check out last week’s stories with the theme: Beaver Slap.
Flash Fiction Friday***
Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love ‘Glimpses.’
GlimpsesGlimpses
28 short stories and pieces of flash fiction take the reader on a rollercoaster of twists and turns.
Paperback – £4.99
Kindle – £0.99
***
Follow Hugh on his social media platforms by clicking the buttons below.
Copyright @ 2024 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.
#carrotRanch #fiction #flashFiction #sciFi #scienceFiction #shortStories #shortStory #theCarrotRanch #writingChallenge
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Flash Fiction Friday – Where There Is Hope
April 24, 2023, prompt: Write a story about the colour of hope in 99 words (no more, no less). Who needs hope, and why? How can you use colour to shape the story? Pick a colour, any colour. Go where the prompt leads! See April 24: Story Challenge in 99-words for more details.
Where There Is Hope – by Hugh W. Roberts
As the Pride Parade approached, the city streets were awash with every rainbow colour. But for Tim, a young, closeted bisexual man, only one colour truly embodied the spirit of hope – Green. It was the colour of his first love’s eyes and the hope he carried for a world that accepted and celebrated all identities.
As he watched the march, he knew he was not alone. Many diversities watched the parade while waving rainbow flags. Together, they would fight for a future where every colour of love was accepted.
Hope always won over the hatred for being different.
Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.
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Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love ‘More Glimpses.’
***
32 short stories and flash fiction pieces take readers to the edge of their imagination.
More Glimpses
Paperback – £4.99
Kindle – £0.99
Follow Hugh on his social media platforms by clicking the buttons below.
Copyright @ 2024 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.
#carrotRanch #fiction #flashFiction #lgbt #lgbtFiction #lgbtqi #shortStories #shortStory #theCarrotRanch #writingChallenge
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Flash Fiction Friday – The House That Nobody Visits
April 10, 2023, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about “the old lady and the Beast.” What does age have to say about the story? Who is the beast, and why? Go where the prompt leads! See April 10: Story Challenge in 99-words for more details.
The House That Nobody Visits – by Hugh W. Roberts
Nobody ever went near the old ladies’ and beasts’ house.
Tears of sadness fell every day. Not even rays of warm sun coming through the windows helped.
When the front doorbell chimed one Saturday afternoon, panic set in.
“Who could it be?”
“I don’t know. Nobody ever comes here because of me.”
“Should we answer?”
“Why not?”
The face of a young female met their faces.
“I’m not afraid,” she said, pushing past them. “It’s time I proved the village folk wrong.”
As the old lady fed on the young flesh, the beast knew why nobody had visited him.
Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.
***
Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love ‘More Glimpses.’
***
32 short stories and flash fiction pieces take readers to the edge of their imagination.
More Glimpses
Paperback – £4.99
Kindle – £0.99
Follow Hugh on his social media platforms by clicking the buttons below.
Copyright @ 2024 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.
#carrotRanch #fiction #flashFiction #horror #horrorStories #shortStories #shortStory #theCarrotRanch #writingChallenge
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Flash Fiction Friday – The Sky That Loves Me
March 27 2023, prompt: Write a story about something impossibly blue in 99 words (no more, no less). You can go with the sky or any other object. What impact does the colour have on the setting or characters? Does it lead to action or create a pause? Go where the prompt leads! See March 27: Story Challenge in 99-words for more details.
The Sky That Loves Me- by Hugh W. Roberts
The sky above was a deep, impossibly blue. The kind of blue that makes you feel like you could reach up and touch it. The type of blue that makes you want to sing.
And then I started to sing. I sang about the impossibly blue sky. I sang about the hope that it gave me. I sang about the love that I felt for the world around me.
And as I sang, the sky seemed to get even bluer. The world seemed to get even brighter. It was then that I decided today was not my suicide day.
Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.
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Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love ‘More Glimpses.’
***
32 short stories and flash fiction pieces take readers to the edge of their imagination.
More Glimpses
Paperback – £4.99
Kindle – £0.99
Follow Hugh on his social media platforms by clicking the buttons below.
Copyright @ 2024 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.
#carrotRanch #fiction #flashFiction #mentalHealth #shortStories #shortStory #theCarrotRanch #writingChallenge
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Flash Fiction Friday – Not Everything Changes
March 13, 2023, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about a place where children once played. It can be a field, a playground, or any place that attracted children to play. But now it is empty. Abandoned. Go where the prompt leads! Click here for details.
Not Everything Changes- by Hugh W. Roberts
The sun shone brightly on the grassy field where children once played, hunting for colourful Easter eggs.
Years later, the area was overgrown, and the old baskets and eggs were long gone.
But something magical was happening. From the earth, tiny sprouts emerged, turning into flowers of every colour, filling the air with sweet fragrances.
The grown children returned to the field and marvelled at the wondrous sight. They remembered the joy of those long-ago Easter egg hunts and the laughter of their childhood friends.
The field may have changed, but the memories and the spirit of Easter remained.
Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.
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Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love ‘More Glimpses.’
***
32 short stories and flash fiction pieces take readers to the edge of their imagination.
More Glimpses
Paperback – £4.99
Kindle – £0.99
Follow Hugh on his social media platforms by clicking the buttons below.
Copyright @ 2024 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.
#carrotRanch #easter #fiction #flashFiction #shortStories #shortStory #theCarrotRanch #writingChallenge
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Flash Fiction Friday – All It Took
February 13, 2023, prompt: Write a story about a smear of jam in 99 words (no more, no less). Is it across a slice of toast, a white shirt, or something unexpected? The jam could be the focus or detail that ads a twist. Who are the characters with the jam, and where are they situated in space and time? Go where the prompt leads!
All It Took – by Hugh W. Roberts
ChatGPT recommended the jam and put it on her shopping list.
Two days later, she spread a smear of the sticky jam on her toast and took little notice of the tiny handprint on the side of the jar.
Spitting out the toast’s remains, she drank a glass of water to eliminate the awful taste of the jam.
Moments later, she felt a strange sensation in her mouth, looked down and saw something moving in the jam.
In the instant before she craved human flesh, she knew the smear on the jar wasn’t a handprint; it was a warning.
Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.
***
Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love ‘More Glimpses.’
***
32 short stories and flash fiction pieces take the reader to the edge of their imagination.
More Glimpses
Paperback – £4.99
Kindle – £0.99
Follow Hugh on his social media platforms by clicking the buttons below.
Want more posts like this? Enter your email address and click Subscribe.
Copyright @ 2024 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.
#carrotRanch #fiction #flashFiction #food #horror #shortStories #shortStory #theCarrotRanch #writingChallenge
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Flash Fiction Friday – Shadow Talk
January 16, 2023, prompt: Write a story about a lady shadow in 99 words (no more, no less). Who is this person, and why do they lurk in the shadows. What is the tone and setting for your story? Go where the prompt leads! Click here for details.
Shadow Talk – by Hugh W. Roberts
I followed the lady’s shadow on her journey. She took me around the house and waited for me when I fell behind.
If rooms were dark, I’d flick on the light to see her. She talked to me on our journey and reassured me that everything would be okay.
When I heard the key in the front door, she had to leave, but another shadow took her place.
As I quickly took off my mother’s dress, pearl necklace and high-heeled shoes, my father’s voice called out.
“Are you ready, William? Time for you to hit the under-elevens football pitch.”
Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.
***
Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love ‘More Glimpses.’
***
32 short stories and flash fiction pieces take the reader to the edge of their imagination.
More Glimpses
Paperback – £4.99
Kindle – £0.99
Follow Hugh on his social media platforms by clicking the buttons below.
Copyright @ 2024 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.
#carrotRanch #fiction #flashFiction #lgbt #lgbtFiction #shortStories #shortStory #theCarrotRanch #writingChallenge
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Flash Fiction Friday – How To Take A Long Break
January 2, 2023, prompt: Write a story about a sabbatical in 99 words (no more, no less). Who needs one or has had one? What kind of tension could a rest create? Where can a break take your story? Go where the prompt leads! Click here for details.
How To Take A Long Break – by Hugh W. Roberts
Some think I have one of the most straightforward jobs in the world. It may look like that, but I still need a sabbatical.
Some think my job is one of the toughest, so I deserve a sabbatical.
Rain, shine, blizzards or gales, I have to do my job. I pledged that I’d never let anyone down. Some think I have too many days off, but people need to learn what goes on behind closed doors.
What’s the best thing about my job? Tearing the date ‘December 24th’ off the calendar and starting my sabbatical for another 364 days.
Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.
***
Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love ‘More Glimpses.’
***
32 short stories and flash fiction pieces take the reader to the edge of their imagination.
More Glimpses
Paperback – £4.99
Kindle – £0.99
Follow Hugh on his social media platforms by clicking the buttons below.
Want more posts like this? Enter your email address and click Subscribe.
Copyright @ 2024 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.
#carrotRanch #fiction #flashFiction #holidays #sabbatical #shortStories #shortStory #theCarrotRanch #writingChallenge
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Flash Fiction Friday – Christmas Present
November 28, 2022, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story using the saying, “not my monkeys, not my circus”. What is the situation that would spawn that aphorism? Have fun with the setting and characters! Go where the prompt leads! Click here for details.
Christmas Present – by Hugh W. Roberts
Watching the happy couple unwrap their gifts brought so much joy and happiness. I love Christmas.
One last gift, but who’s the recipient?
“The tag says it’s for you; somebody from your past?” said Veronica.
“Me?” replied David.
He hesitated at first, but his face was a picture when he pulled out red fishnet stockings and suspenders.
The atmosphere changed before death arrived. But it would be the next Christmas before they joined me.
“Not my monkeys, not my circus,” I laughed as I walked out of their lives unnoticed.
Nobody cheated on me, the ghost of Christmas past.
Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.
***
Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love ‘More Glimpses.’
***
32 short stories and flash fiction pieces take the reader to the edge of their imagination.
More Glimpses
Paperback – £4.99
Kindle – £0.99
Follow Hugh on his social media platforms by clicking the buttons below.
Copyright © 2022 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.
#carrotRanch #christmas #christmasFiction #fiction #flashFiction #murder #shortStories #shortStory #theCarrotRanch #writingChallenge