PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson
While they remained encased in the mystically decorated metal cage they stay locked in their rock forms. It was considered a humane incarceration. The mystic carvings and scrawls were ancient, but the spells still worked. Fortunate for the current government. After all, they’d hunted down any mystic for illegal spellcasting years ago.
Nearly all.
A few remain.
I can hear the rock gnomes screaming.
I’ll wait until dark to remove the spell and pray they’ll forgive me for my ancestors’ workings. I need help. The fight against the humans must be won or all “other kind” will be wiped out.
This is a Friday Fictioneers prompt
You can read more FF prompt responses here
Word count: 100
© Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. All Rights to the works and publications on this blog are owned and copyrighted by Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. The Owner of this site reserves all permissions for access and use of all documents on this site. NO AI TRAINING: Without in any way limiting the author’s [and publisher’s] exclusive rights under copyright, any use of this publication to “train” generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to generate text is expressly prohibited. The author reserves all rights to license uses of this work for generative AI training and development of machine learning language models.
PHOTO PROMPT © Lisa Fox
“Um… What are those?”
“Hmmmm ha, yeah they look like—”
“Right? Yeah that’s… do kids hang out here?”
“Well, they won’t know, will they? I mean, unless they’ve traveled below the crust like us.”
“And supposedly no one other than us have been down there.”
“Why were we invited? What reason did they give?”
“I thought you were the one asked.”
“Wait. So, we were invited to go down, we went down, but neither of us actually knows why?”
“Ah, Tommy… what’s that growing out of your shoulder?”
“Wha.. Ahhhh. Ahh! Ahhh! Ahhh!”
“Ahhhhrrggggg. Hungry.”
“Hunger. Hunt. Eat”
“Eat!”
This is a Friday Fictioneers Prompt
You can read more FF prompt responses here
Word count: 100
© Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. All Rights to the works and publications on this blog are owned and copyrighted by Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. The Owner of this site reserves all permissions for access and use of all documents on this site. NO AI TRAINING: Without in any way limiting the author’s [and publisher’s] exclusive rights under copyright, any use of this publication to “train” generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to generate text is expressly prohibited. The author reserves all rights to license uses of this work for generative AI training and development of machine learning language models.
PHOTO PROMPT © Ken Arnopole (friend of Ted Strutz)
It bubbled over, spilling death and destruction in its wake. The pressure too much. Building and building and building. No release, no escape. Eventually, nothing held the explosion back.
She looked back on her life and watched her world burn. Her choices made in the actions of the past. In the reactions of those around her. In the lies, and the failures and betrayals. A clean start was needed. A fresh start. Her spaceship rose as she literally left her world in ashes and zoomed away. She smiled. Her future was hers to discover and she felt her anticipation grow.
This is a Friday Fictioneers Prompt
You can read more FF prompt responses here
Word count: 100
© Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. All Rights to the works and publications on this blog are owned and copyrighted by Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. The Owner of this site reserves all permissions for access and use of all documents on this site. NO AI TRAINING: Without in any way limiting the author’s [and publisher’s] exclusive rights under copyright, any use of this publication to “train” generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to generate text is expressly prohibited. The author reserves all rights to license uses of this work for generative AI training and development of machine learning language models.
PHOTO PROMPT © Roger Bultot
A beautiful sunny day.
That’s what they said.
On the other side of the bridge, ten minutes out of town, it was. Sunny. That’s what social media said. We could see and scroll, but couldn’t post. Couldn’t communicate out.
We couldn’t cross the bridge.
We tried. Believe me, we tried. Something stopped us. Convinced us to stop ourselves. It wasn’t until you were back in town that you remembered.
And you tried again.
And again.
Some still tried.
I stopped a few weeks back. I live my life as best I can. But I wonder… What lies beyond the fog?
This is a Friday Fictioneers Prompt
You can read more FF prompt responses here
Word count: 100
© Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. All Rights to the works and publications on this blog are owned and copyrighted by Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. The Owner of this site reserves all permissions for access and use of all documents on this site. NO AI TRAINING: Without in any way limiting the author’s [and publisher’s] exclusive rights under copyright, any use of this publication to “train” generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to generate text is expressly prohibited. The author reserves all rights to license uses of this work for generative AI training and development of machine learning language models.
PHOTO PROMPT © Sandra Crook
“What happened?”
“It’s too late. My illusion failed. The spell took hold.”
“Now what?”
“I don’t know.”
She stared at him in shock. “You don’t know? You always know. That’s why I need you.”
“Magic is not all or nothing. There are shades. Levels. Spells fail. They break. They glitch.”
“What do we do now?”
“She’s coming for us. We must hide.”
“Hide? She’ll win. We have to fight. Otherwise, we’ve already lost.”
“This is why I need you. You push me to fight harder. She won’t take this world. Not this time. The Easter Bunny won’t win. Let’s go.”
This is a Friday Fictioneers Prompt
You can read more FF prompt responses here
Word count: 100
© Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. All Rights to the works and publications on this blog are owned and copyrighted by Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. The Owner of this site reserves all permissions for access and use of all documents on this site. NO AI TRAINING: Without in any way limiting the author’s [and publisher’s] exclusive rights under copyright, any use of this publication to “train” generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to generate text is expressly prohibited. The author reserves all rights to license uses of this work for generative AI training and development of machine learning language models.
PHOTO PROMPT © Nancy Richy
Creep.
Slither.
Don’t be seen.
Only move in the dark.
Not seen yet.
Creep.
Slither.
The warm bloods make noise. Hides sound of movement. Wait for dark.
Stop.
The little yappy one bounces close. Hunger curls. Want to grab, strangle, feed. Must wait. Wait till dark. Wait till big warm blood sleeps.
Creep.
Slither.
Soon.
“My God, what is this? Look at the growth! Honey, either this goes outside or we cut it back. Why didn’t you see this happening? How long has it been here?”
“Yeah, that’s crazy. Let’s cut it and plant it outside.
Silent scream. Hurt. Pain.
This is a Friday Fictioneers prompt
You can read more FF prompt responses here
Word count: 100
© Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. All Rights to the works and publications on this blog are owned and copyrighted by Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. The Owner of this site reserves all permissions for access and use of all documents on this site. NO AI TRAINING: Without in any way limiting the author’s [and publisher’s] exclusive rights under copyright, any use of this publication to “train” generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to generate text is expressly prohibited. The author reserves all rights to license uses of this work for generative AI training and development of machine learning language models.
PHOTO PROMPT © Jennifer Pendergast
There are many games here.
Almost ironic.
They play games.
I am the game … though they do not know it yet. They also do not know the prize.
Should have been their first question, if I’m honest.
The only question.
The game has already begun. They play for the lives of their entire world. I wonder how they will go?
I’ve seen worlds rise and fall, kingdoms rise and fall.
They send ‘their best’
They do not understand the game we play.
I will collect their souls as I have done many times before.
Do you want to play?
This is a Friday Fictioneers Prompt
You can read more FF prompt responses here
Word count: 100
© Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. All Rights to the works and publications on this blog are owned and copyrighted by Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. The Owner of this site reserves all permissions for access and use of all documents on this site. NO AI TRAINING: Without in any way limiting the author’s [and publisher’s] exclusive rights under copyright, any use of this publication to “train” generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to generate text is expressly prohibited. The author reserves all rights to license uses of this work for generative AI training and development of machine learning language models.
PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson
The shatter lines as they splittered the sky sounded like lightning.
Everyone stopped, staring up. Even drivers braked hard, peering up in shock. The only thing moving was a random plane below the cloud cover.
“It’s all true.”
“What is? What is that? It’s like glass or a dome. Oh my God, are we surrounded by a dome?”
“No, look properly. It’s a screen. We’re in a simulation. Or we are the simulation. You can see the coding through the cracks.”
“What?”
“Nothing is real. Are we real?”
___
Click click. “Damn it Zeelz. You broke the game.”
“Sorry. I tripped.”
This is a Friday Fictioneers prompt
You can read more FF prompt responses here
Word count: 100
© Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. All Rights to the works and publications on this blog are owned and copyrighted by Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. The Owner of this site reserves all permissions for access and use of all documents on this site. NO AI TRAINING: Without in any way limiting the author’s [and publisher’s] exclusive rights under copyright, any use of this publication to “train” generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to generate text is expressly prohibited. The author reserves all rights to license uses of this work for generative AI training and development of machine learning language models.
A new interview
I chatted with Reader’s House about my books.
Reader’s House Interview Laurie Bell
You can purchase The Butterfly Stone via the usual online bookstores or HERE
You can purchase White Fire via the usual online bookstores or HERE
“A speculative narrative whose most notable elements are its meditations on mental health, war, and dirty dealing.” — Kirkus Reviews
If you would like to purchase a copy of Blood Fever – Search your favourite online bookstore or grab a copy here: Blood Fever
Rambles, writing and amusing musings 