Heartburn

For Friday Fictioneers 100-Word Challenge: 22 January 2021

Photo Credit: Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

 
Regularly scheduled programming was interrupted by a special news bulletin of a self-styled guru being rushed to the hospital.

Initial reports indicated that he experienced chest pains while indulging with a second helping of his favorite steak.

An hour later, the doctor who attended to him reported that he only suffered heartburn. It brought relief to thousands of his followers who believed that his death would signal the end of the world.

No doubt about it, seeing their guru on TV smiling and flashing the thumbs up was enough motivation to keep donations flowing to his ashram and life’s mission.

Saving Grace

For Friday Fictioneers 100-Word Challenge: 15 January 2021

Photo Credit: Dale Rogerson

 
Touring with the rock band was his life and gave him the ultimate high. Being on the road, however, was extremely hard for his wife and kids.

Feeling lonely and neglected, his wife had thought of divorcing him.

Then the global pandemic hit. Suddenly, Ryan found himself with no gigs to play and forced to shelter at home.

Staring at his musical instruments lying idle, he hoped to go back to performing again in the future.

But you could say COVID-19 was his saving grace. It gave him lots of time to reconnect with his family and saved his marriage.

The Stuff Her Mom Left Behind

For Friday Fictioneers 100-Word Challenge: 8 January 2021

Photo Credit: Jan Wayne Fields

 
Anna was overwhelmed by emotion looking at the stuff her mom left behind. For sure, they brought back many happy memories.

She knew she kept most of them for sentimental reasons like her old toys and childhood dresses. But now that she had passed away, it pained her that she couldn’t take them with her. Life had taught her to travel light and keep only what she needed.

Sorting them out, it was with a heavy heart that Anna had to decide which ones to donate to the Salvation Army and which ones to toss out in the recycling bin.

Laid Off

For Friday Fictioneers 100-Word Challenge: 1 January 2021

Photo Credit: Na’ama Yehuda

 
It was a job he hated. Still, it hit him hard when he lost it due to company restructuring.

Dark clouds looming on the horizon, he thought of jumping off from the building. The proceeds from his life insurance would provide for the family for awhile.

But he was such a coward. It required a lot of courage to commit suicide.

He elected to go home instead.

“I have bad news,” he told his wife. “I lost my job today.”

“Relax, Dad, it’s about time.”

“What do you mean?”

“We’re rich, filthy rich,” she replied. “We just won the lottery.”

Gone

For Friday Fictioneers 100-Word Challenge: 25 December 2020

Photo Credit: Trish Nankivell

 
“Mom, isn’t it cute?” Abby exclaimed after seeing a mouse sleeping under the Christmas tree. “I want it as a pet.”

“Absolutely not,” Dolores replied. “It doesn’t belong in the house.”

Since the intruder kept returning, Dolores went to the store to find a humane way to get rid of it.

“If you catch and release it outside, it’ll just come back,” the salesman said.

He suggested a spring-activated trap with cheese as bait for its last meal.

Shortly thereafter, Abby wondered why the mouse stopped showing up.

“Beats me,“ Dolores shrugged. “Maybe it found a better place to stay.”